Ukrainian forces have received a new short-range air defense missile system called Rif. Experts from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies drew attention to it after footage of the combat vehicle appeared on television.
The system was spotted in service with the 101st Separate Air Defense Missile Battalion of the 30th Marine Corps of the Ukrainian Navy. The vehicle shown is a serial-production example of the air defense system.
The Rif is based on the chassis of the Soviet MT-LB tracked tractor. A launcher for four missiles and an electro-optical system designed to search for aerial targets were installed on it.
To engage targets in the air, the system uses air defense modifications of RK-2 or RK-10 anti-tank guided missiles. These missiles are guided by a laser beam.
The appearance of this system shows that Ukrainian designers continue to adapt available weapons for air defense tasks. Amid a shortage of specialized short-range air defense systems, the use of laser-guided anti-tank missiles as surface-to-air missiles has become one of the noticeable trends.
Earlier, Ukrainian enterprises and repair workshops had already demonstrated similar solutions. Anti-aircraft mounts and missile blocks were installed on various tracked and wheeled vehicles to increase the mobility and firepower of frontline air defense units.