During the MSPO defense exhibition in Poland, Ukraine for the first time showcased the launch system of the “Coral” anti-aircraft missile system. This was reported by “Militarnyi”.
The image published by “UkrOboronProm” shows a missile being launched from a self-propelled launcher mounted on the chassis of a Czech Tatra truck.
The missile is positioned as a means of intercepting aerial and ballistic targets. It is planned to be used as part of an air defense system.
According to the developer, in exceptional cases it can also be used to strike radar-contrast ground or surface targets.
The missile weighs 450 kg, of which 36 kg is the warhead. Its guidance system combines an inertial navigation system, radio correction, and an active radar homing head.
The missile has a diameter of 230/300 mm and a length of 4.8 m. Its wingspan is 835 mm, while the span of the control surfaces is 685 mm.
Development work on the “Coral” project began in 2016. At the time, the missile project appeared in documents as a component of a ship-based anti-aircraft missile system.
The “Coral” was first widely discussed publicly in 2021, when the Luch State Design Bureau presented a full-scale mock-up of the missile at the “Arms and Security-2021” exhibition.
At the time, it was presented as a unified modular missile that was planned for use as part of land-based and ship-based air defense systems, and potentially also as an air-to-air missile.
At the initial stage, the “Coral” had significantly more modest declared specifications: a range of up to 30 km, an engagement altitude of up to 10 km, a weight of about 300 kg, and a 25-kg warhead. The missile was 4.33 m long and had a diameter of 230/260 mm. At the same time, the designers emphasized that the specific specifications could change depending on the customer’s requirements.
One of the key features of the project was the maximum unification of components. In 2021, Luch State Design Bureau General Designer Oleh Korosteliov estimated the system’s readiness at approximately 70%.
At the same time, Luch was considering the creation of an entire line of Ukrainian air defense systems with engagement ranges of about 10 km, 30–40 km, and up to 100 km. The “Coral” was supposed to occupy the medium-range niche in this system.