Similar to U.S. PAC-3 ACE: How Ukraine’s Koral missile could intercept ballistic missiles
Read NV on Google
Koral missile at the Ukroboronprom stand at the MSPO international exhibition in Poland, September 2026 (Photo: NV)
Ukraine’s Koral surface-to-air missile, unveiled at MSPO 2026 in Poland, may have capabilities against ballistic missiles similar to the U.S. PAC-3 ACE interceptor for the Patriot system, Defense Express reported on Sept. 9.
The Koral missile is manufactured by the Luch State Design Bureau. The missile, which is capable of intercepting ballistic targets, was first unveiled at the Arms and Security exhibition in 2021. Since then, its weight has increased by 50%, from 300 kilograms to 450 kilograms. The missile's length has increased from 4.33 meters to 4.8 meters, while its diameter has changed from 230/260 millimeters to 230/300 millimeters.
The newly published specifications for the Koral do not indicate its maximum range or maximum target altitude. However, given the increase in the missile's dimensions, those parameters can also be expected to increase. Earlier specifications indicated a maximum engagement range of up to 30 kilometers and a maximum target altitude of up to 10 kilometers, Defense Express reported.
In addition to changes in its dimensions, the Koral surface-to-air missile no longer features a ring of gas-dynamic lateral control thrusters. This technology allows a missile to maneuver aggressively under high G-forces. It is one of the features typical of surface-to-air missiles capable of kinetic interception of ballistic targets, meaning they destroy a target through a direct hit, eliminating the threat and its warhead while still in the air.
The guidance systems likely remain similar, with an active radar seeker used during the terminal phase of flight, analysts said.
According to Defense Express, the Koral is more comparable to the PAC-2 GEM-T in terms of its ability to counter ballistic missiles. This means it can engage ballistic targets through proximity detonation and fragmentation but lacks the kinetic interception capability of the PAC-3 MSE.
At the same time, the Koral is smaller than the PAC-2 GEM-T, which has a launch weight of about 900 kilograms, including a 90-kilogram warhead. Defense Express said the new PAC-3 ACE may therefore be a closer comparison, as it is expected to cost about half as much due to significant design simplifications.
The U.S. PAC-3 ACE, unveiled in July 2026, will not feature kinetic interception or a ring of gas-dynamic control thrusters but will have an active radar seeker. It is expected to be about 5.2 meters long and up to 300 millimeters in diameter, with a launch weight of about 370 kilograms.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
