USA Created FrankenSAM for Ukraine, Now Wants Some for Itself, on Truck Chassis

Working on the draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year 2025, the Committee on Armed Services of the U.S. Senate (SASC) has proposed to include a supply of FrankenSAM systems to the American military.

These improvised air defense systems, originally developed in a hurry for the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, will reinforce the protection of U.S. airfields, the authors of the initiative believe. The FrankenSAMs are to have the same configuration as the Ukrainian ones and be fed with "surplus" AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles, The War Zone reports.

Read more: ​The U.S. Confirms the Transfer of the Patriot Battery and More Air Defense Systems from the Allies

The Osa surface-to-air missile system of the Ukrainian Armed Forces adapted for firing R-73 missiles, June 2024 / Open-source photos

For fiscal year 2025, the special committee of the U.S. Senate has suggested increasing the defense budget by an additional $25 billion. It is within this proposed budget increase that the production of FrankenSAM systems for the U.S. armed forces has been included.

The rationale behind this proposal is clear: in the context of modern warfare and the rising costs of weaponry, particularly anti-aircraft missiles, it is essential to find cost-effective ways to equip military units with air defense capabilities. Especially when there is surplus air-to-air and surface-to-air ammunition missiles that can be adapted in a way that is already being tested in real combat operating conditions.

Interestingly, while referencing Ukraine's experience with FrankenSAM, the Senate document mentions "systems on trucks or on stationary pallets." This an intriguing detail, as there have been no reports of Ukraine using such configurations.

The only known truck-mounted air defense system provided to Ukraine came from the UK, which supplied an improvised system for AIM-132 ASRAAM missiles. And there were no reports about supply of any stationary FrankenSAMs for Ukraine.

For a brief reminder, the U.S. has transferred three types of improvised air defense systems to Ukraine:

1. 1. Soviet Buk SAM systems adapted to fire AIM-7 missiles.
2. 2. An unnamed system modified to use AIM-9 missiles.
3. 3. A hybrid system combining launchers from the Patriot air defense system with Soviet-made S-300 radars.

Read more: U.S. is Making ERAM Hybrid of Missile and Bomb for Ukraine, Deadlines Revealed