Hellfire Missiles Deployed On Ukrainian Air Defense Vehicles

Ukraine's air force has deployed vehicles armed with American laser-guided Hellfire missiles as part of its layered defense against Russian aerial threats, according to Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command. Ihnat described the mix of assets in a podcast appearance on RBC-Ukraine's TSE BAZA program. "We have different systems - the FrankenSAM systems and there are vehicles with laser-guided Hellfire missiles," he said.

The configuration builds on a method Ukrainian soldiers used earlier in the war. In January 2026, Ukrainian forces reported downing 21 Russian Shahed drones using Tempest mobile surface-to-air missile systems, each armed with two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles. Ihnat did not identify which vehicles are now carrying the missiles, how many such systems Ukraine possesses, or which Hellfire variants are in use.

Ihnat described a deliberate division of labor across operating areas. Aviation conducts strikes in regions where ground-based air defense is inactive, reducing the risk that Ukrainian aircraft will be engaged by friendly air defenses. Near cities and specific infrastructure sites, Ukrainian forces deploy man-portable air defense systems and other ground-based assets, he said. Electronic warfare units also jam many Russian systems, Ihnat said, noting that not all Russian platforms carry adequate protection or the antennas required to counter jamming.

The AGM-114 Hellfire is a family of American guided missiles built to strike armored vehicles, air defense systems, patrol boats and other targets. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin states that Hellfire II missiles use semi-active laser homing and can be launched from helicopters, aircraft, ground vehicles and vessels. Ihnat said Ukrainian forces have also brought down drones with assault rifles, though he called such instances rare. Each asset, he said, is deployed where it is most effective.