Ukraine Air Force Confirms Truck-Mounted Hellfire Missiles in Drone Defense

Yurii Ihnat, head of the Air Force Command's communications department, confirmed that Ukrainian units are operating vehicles armed with laser-guided Hellfire missiles. He made the statement on the RBC-Ukraine podcast TSE BAZA on October 26, 2026.

Ihnat described a layered approach to countering Russian aerial assets. He noted that forces deploy different systems based on the operational area. "We have different systems, the FrankenSAM systems and there are vehicles with laser-guided Hellfire missiles," he said. He did not specify the exact vehicle models, the quantity available, or the specific missile modifications in use.

The Air Force uses this mixed defense to protect key areas while keeping its own aircraft safe. Ihnat explained that aviation operates in zones where ground-based air defense is inactive to prevent friendly fire incidents. Near cities or critical infrastructure, teams deploy man-portable air defense systems and other ground assets. Electronic warfare equipment also plays a role by jamming Russian drones that lack sufficient protection or the right antennas.

Ihnat also mentioned that soldiers occasionally use assault rifles to down drones, though this is rare. He emphasized that each asset is placed where it works best. The AGM-114 Hellfire is a family of American guided missiles made by Lockheed Martin. The Hellfire II variant uses semi-active laser homing and can be fired from helicopters, aircraft, ground vehicles, and boats.

Ukrainian forces began testing these specific truck-mounted systems in early 2026. In January, soldiers using American Tempest mobile surface-to-air missile systems with two AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles reported shooting down 21 Russian Shahed drones.