Missile Shortages Push Ukraine to Rely on Decades-Old Weapons

Ukraine is facing a shortage of key air-to-air missiles, prompting its fighter jets to return to an older weapon from the 1970s to counter increasingly fast Russian drones and missiles. Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft are now using the R-60 missile, a weapon that had already been considered outdated when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The move highlights the growing pressure on Ukraine's air-defence resources.

The R-60 was among the missiles available to Ukraine when the war began, with the country also believed to have received additional supplies from allied nations. However, stocks remain limited. The missile was designed decades ago and is significantly older than the R-73, which has been more commonly used by Ukrainian MiG-29s for engaging aerial targets. Some components of the R-60 were produced in Ukraine before the missiles were assembled in Russia.

Ukraine is increasingly relying on fighter aircraft because Russia has expanded its use of faster drones and missiles. Weapons such as the Geran-3, Geran-4 and Geran-5 drones, along with Banderol missiles, can reportedly reach speeds of around 700 kmph, making them more difficult to intercept using some ground-based systems and slower interceptor drones. Ukrainian MiG-29s and Western-supplied F-16s are therefore being used to help counter these threats.

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Recent incidents have illustrated the return of the R-60 to active combat. An R-60 was reportedly identified in the wreckage of a Ukrainian MiG-29 that crashed, while video footage circulated showing a MiG-29 apparently using the missile to destroy a Russian Banderol missile while flying at low altitude. Ukraine has also adapted R-73 missiles for unconventional roles, including integration with some ground-based air-defence systems and robotic platforms.

The missile shortage is not limited to Ukraine's Soviet-era fighter fleet. The country is also experiencing shortages of weapons for its F-16 aircraft, with some pilots reportedly carrying out missions using the fighter's built-in cannon. F-16s normally employ AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for air-defence missions, but those weapons are also needed by Ukraine's NASAMS systems, adding further pressure to already limited stocks.

Meanwhile, Russia has increased its deployment of faster drones, creating an additional challenge for Ukrainian air defences. Reports indicate that Russia launched about 1,500 jet-powered Geran drones in one month and around 2,500 the following month. Ukraine's interception rate against these faster targets has reportedly been significantly lower than against older, slower drones. RAND analyst Michael Bohnert noted that interception rates in the 60 to 70 per cent range remain well below the levels Ukraine would want to achieve.

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