Ukraine unveils Koral air defense system launcher for first time

For the first time, Ukraine demonstrated a home-built missile called Koral, designed to target ballistic threats, at Poland's MSPO defense exhibition. The missile, which weighs 450kg and carries a 36kg warhead, was showcased being launched from a self-propelled launcher on a Czech Tatra truck chassis, according to Militarnyi. Although the term "ballistic targets" remains unclear, it generally refers to objects following a ballistic trajectory after their powered phase, governed primarily by gravity and aerodynamic drag.

This category encompasses various ballistic weapons, including Russia's Iskander and Kinzhal missiles, as well as rockets from multiple-launch rocket systems like Grad and Smerch. The Koral missile itself weighs 450kg, including the warhead, and measures 4.8 meters in length with a 230/300mm diameter. Initially, its specifications were less impressive, with a shorter engagement range of up to 30km, a lower altitude ceiling of 10km, and a lighter 25kg warhead.

Its length was 4.33 meters, and its diameter was 230/260mm. Designers emphasized that specifications could be tailored based on the customer's needs. The development of Koral began in 2016, initially envisioned as part of a ship-based surface-to-air missile system. In 2021, Luch State Design Bureau unveiled a full-scale mock-up of the missile at the "Arms and Security" exhibition, initially presented as a modular missile suitable for both land-based and shipborne systems, with potential use as an air-to-air missile as well.