A Missile in All Directions: UK Makes Air Defense More Flexible With ‘Raven 5’

The UK’s Raven 5 fires ASRAAM missiles in full 360 degrees with a doubled loadout, built on a combat record of 400 downed targets in Ukraine.

The UK’s homegrown Raven air defense system has just been reborn, with its new version now built to fire advanced short-range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAM) in all directions.

Raven 5 moves away from the fixed launcher setup used in earlier variants, instead mounted on a Moog flexible mission platform that enables full 360-degree targeting.

This allows the system to fire in any direction without needing to reposition the vehicle, improving response time against fast-moving threats from multiple angles.

The added flexibility could help ground forces react more quickly to inbound threats from behind or the flanks, while also extending engagement options against aerial targets.

Raven 5 also features a bigger cabin with a second row of seats for improved crew space and comfort during operations.

It can carry more missiles as well, doubling its loadout from two to four.

While full technical details remain undisclosed, the new variant is said to draw on earlier Raven designs, but with greater mobility and improved protection.

A Combat-Proven Weapon

The British Raven system was developed through a collaboration between the Royal Air Force Air and Space Warfare Center, UK Defence Equipment & Support, and defense contractor MBDA.

It first entered service in 2023, originally to aid Ukrainian forces.

Since then, it has reportedly downed more than 400 aerial targets, achieving an effectiveness rate of around 70 percent.

In January, the UK confirmed the delivery of 13 additional Raven systems to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Next Gen Defence