Ukraine deploys vehicle-mounted laser-guided Hellfires to hunt Russian drones
Air Force communications chief Yurii Ihnat described a layered air defense strategy that mixes missile launchers, electronic warfare and rifles near Russian aerial threats.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Ukrainian forces downed 21 Russian Shahed drones in January 2026 using mobile launchers carrying AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles, Ukrainska Pravda reported at the time. That figure illustrates a shift in Kyiv's air defense approach now confirmed at the operational level.
Yurii Ihnat, head of the communications department of the Air Force Command, said Ukrainian troops field multiple systems tailored to the threat in each area. "We have different systems: the FrankenSAM systems and there are vehicles with laser-guided Hellfire missiles," Ihnat said in the RBC-Ukraine podcast TSE BAZA. He did not identify the specific vehicles, their quantity, or the missile variants in use.
Ihnat said Ukrainian aviation operates where ground-based air defenses are inactive, reducing the risk of friendly fire. Near cities and infrastructure sites, teams carry man-portable air defense systems, known as MANPADS, alongside other ground assets. Electronic warfare units also jam many Russian systems, since not all Russian platforms are equally protected or carry suitable antennas.
Ihnat said assault rifles have brought down drones on rare occasions, and that each asset is deployed where it is most effective. Lockheed Martin states the Hellfire II family uses semi-active laser homing and can be launched from helicopters, aircraft, ground vehicles and vessels. The AGM-114 family is designed for targets including armored vehicles, air defense systems and patrol boats.
