First AN/TWQ-1 Avenger short-range air defense systems arrived in Ukraine back in March 2023 as part of U.S. military assistance, but the weapons themselves and their performance have gained little media attention at the time. A new video report by the Ukrainian official outlet ArmyTV now offers a closer look at how the Avengers are performing in real combat situations.
"[The Avenger is positioned] as a regular anti-aircraft missile system, you know, it is for control of the national airspace. It is important for me to hit the target; I make every effort to destroy the airborne enemy, of any kind," said unit commander Yurii in an interview.
Read more: Inspired by U.S. Avenger, Ukrainian Soldiers Modernized a Stinger By Themselves
The footage highlighted one combat episode worth noting: to destroy a russian Shahed attack drone, the Avenger crew chose not to use an anti-aircraft missile but instead engaged it with the system's machine gun.
"I see that it is low, close, and flying at me. This is the easiest target for a machine gun. When it flies straight at me and this close, firing a missile would be impractical," Yurii explained.
He added that while the system is not the most modern, it remains effective — particularly against long-range UAVs. However, he admitted that "as for other aerial threats, for example, high-speed aircraft, helicopters… those are impossible [to take down] at the moment."
Mykola, the Avenger's driver, praised the vehicle's mobility: "We drove it everywhere — snow, fields, wet ground — and it performed very well."
He also pointed out a useful feature of the chassis: a control unit that allows the operator to remotely fire the weapon system from cover if the situation becomes too dangerous.
For a brief reminder, the Avenger's main armament consists of launchers for eight FIM-92 Stinger missiles, complemented by a Browning M3P .50 caliber machine gun — the same weapon Yurii's crew successfully used against the Shahed.
Previously, Defense Express highlighted how Ukrainian soldiers, inspired by the Avenger, improvised a similar mobile launch system with the Stinger on their own.
Read more: Which Ukrainian Air Defense Systems Hinge on U.S. Missiles and Which Are Self-Sufficient
