Ukraine unveiled the Koral surface-to-air missile, developed
entirely within the country, at a defense exhibition in Poland. The system is
designed to engage both aircraft and ballistic targets and is part of Kyiv's
efforts to develop its own air defense capabilities.
The missile, weighing approximately 450 kilograms, combines
inertial navigation, radio correction, and an active radar guidance system to
independently complete its terminal phase.
Its development began in 2016 under the direction of the
Luch Design Bureau. Since the initial concept, the weapon has undergone
significant modifications: its weight has increased by about 50 percent, and it
has been equipped with a larger warhead, weighing approximately 36 kilograms.
Although Ukraine has not officially disclosed the Koral's
maximum range, the original design envisioned a distance of up to 30
kilometers.
The project is part of a larger plan to build a domestically
produced air defense system with a similar architecture, in terms of strategic
function, to Western systems like the Patriot.