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Ukraine - Mistral

Mistral is a portable anti-aircraft missile complex designed to hit low-altitude targets such as helicopters and airplanes. Developed in France, adopted by the French ground forces in 1987. In 2000, a modernized model was developed - Mistral 2, and later Mistral 3. Its short-range anti-aircraft guided missiles are equipped with an infrared homing head, which allows it to hit air targets with a thermal signature. This complex is actively exported and is in service in many countries of the world.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine began actively use foreign weapons to counter Russian aggression, in particular the Mistral portable anti-aircraft missile systems. By May 2022 photos of military training were published by the 3rd separate tank brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Norway previously informed about the intention to transfer Mistral MANPADS to Ukraine. On 20 April 2023, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak reported in Telegram that Norway will send about 100 Mistral portable anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. It was not clear from the message whether we are talking about the number of launchers, or the total number of anti-aircraft missiles transferred together with the launchers.

After receiving Mistral portable anti-aircraft missile systems, the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to create fire mobile air defense groups. MANPADS includes a missile in a hermetic transport-launch container, a tripod with sighting devices, a "home-alien" system and a power source. Short-range anti-aircraft guided missiles are equipped with an infrared homing head, which allows hitting air targets with a thermal signature.

" Mobile MANPADS and ATGM fire groups," explains the head of the Foundation's military department, Andriy Rymaruk, "must be fast." On enemy drones and rotorcraft (helicopters - ed.), and in the future - on Russian fighters - they work, in particular, with Stingers and Eagles. And such work absolutely requires mobility - that is why new, not used, cars are given to these groups. So that the machines were serviceable and fast, and could help practice moving targets.

MANPADS Mistral has a standard configuration typical of other weapons of this class. An anti-aircraft guided missile (ASM) is placed in a disposable transport-launch container (TPK), to which an electronic launch device is attached before firing. The launcher contains equipment for determining "home-foreign", as well as a thermal sight for shooting in night conditions. For convenient launch, the complex is placed on a tripod with a seat for the gunner-operator.

This portable anti-aircraft missile system is quite bulky. Therefore, during transportation, it is packed in two containers (in one - a TPK with a missile, in the second - a tripod with an aiming unit) with a total weight of about 50 kg. A directly guided missile consists of a body, an infrared homing head (GSN), electronic guidance equipment and electric servomotors for control.

About 1 minute is enough to bring the Mistral MANPADS into combat position. At the same time, the recharge time of the complex is 30 seconds, and the rocket launch time after pressing the trigger is 3–5 seconds. After that, the launch engine pushes the rocket out of the transport-launch container with an initial speed of 40 m/s.

At the same time, the planes of the stabilizer and aerodynamic rudders are revealed, which are used to control the missile in flight. The thruster turns on about 15 m from the launcher and accelerates the rocket to a maximum speed of Mach 2.6 (almost 2,762 km/h). Therefore, it is not surprising that the missile takes only 6 seconds to reach an air target within a radius of 4 kilometers.

The homing warhead of the Mistral MANPAD missile is capable of capturing and accompanying targets of the "aircraft" type at ranges of more than 6 km and "helicopter" - more than 4 km, even on opposite courses. To achieve high sensitivity of the GOS, cooling of the signal receiver is used (a cylinder with a refrigerant is attached to the trigger). This design allows you to significantly increase the accuracy of pointing the missile at the target. At the same time, the missile guidance error is only 1 meter. Accordingly, detonation at such a distance from the target of the high-explosive warhead of a missile weighing 3 kg, containing several dozen tungsten balls, leads to a guaranteed damage to the aerial object.