Ukraine Develops AirDRAGON and LIZARD Unmanned Air Defense Systems Armed with AIM-9M or R-73 Missiles
Ukraine's Center of Innovative Technologies Program is reportedly developing two unmanned air defense system concepts — AirDRAGON and LIZARD — each designed to carry two air-to-air missiles (AIM-9M Sidewinder or R-73) with an engagement range of approximately 10 km. AirDRAGON uses the E-300 Enterprise UAV as a missile platform, while LIZARD is based on the UNEX unmanned ground vehicle. Development status for both programs remains unclear.
Highlights
- Ukraine's Center of Innovative Technologies Program is developing AirDRAGON (UAV-based) and LIZARD (UGV-based) unmanned air defense systems, each armed with two AIM-9M Sidewinder or R-73 missiles.
- Both AirDRAGON and LIZARD are reported to have an engagement range of approximately 10 kilometers.
- AirDRAGON uses the E-300 Enterprise UAV as its carrier platform, while LIZARD is built on the UNEX unmanned ground vehicle.
- The organization has previously integrated air-to-air missiles on the Magura V7 USV and the HMMWV-based Dragon H73 system, demonstrating cross-domain unmanned missile integration capability.
- No official development timeline, testing schedule, or production plan has been announced for either the AirDRAGON or LIZARD programs.
Ukraine's Center of Innovative Technologies Program is reportedly developing two new air defense system concepts — AirDRAGON and LIZARD — aimed at integrating air-to-air missiles onto unmanned vehicle platforms to enhance battlefield air defense flexibility.
System Overview
Both systems are designed to carry two air-to-air missiles, with options including the U.S.-made AIM-9M Sidewinder or the Russian-made R-73, and are reported to have an engagement range of approximately 10 kilometers.
- AirDRAGON: Uses the E-300 Enterprise UAV as the missile carrier, representing an air-launched platform concept.
- LIZARD: Based on the UNEX unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), representing a ground-mobile launch concept.
Development Status
The specific development progress of both programs remains unclear, and no official testing or production timeline has been announced.
However, the organization has previously demonstrated its capability to integrate air-to-air missiles onto a variety of alternative air defense platforms, including:
- Magura V7 unmanned surface vessel (USV)
- Dragon H73 system, based on a modified HMMWV
These efforts indicate that Ukraine is actively exploring diverse air defense solutions by integrating existing missile arsenals onto various unmanned platforms, in response to the multifaceted threats of the modern battlefield.
Source / Image Credit: Center of Innovative Technologies Program, Ukraine
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