Profile
- Type
- Medium-range surface-to-air missile
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Italy
- Service note
- Cold War design, upgraded Aspide 2000 in modern ground-based air defense service
Air Defense
Aspide
Aspide is an Italian semi-active radar guided missile family used in air-to-air and surface-to-air roles, including SPADA and Skyguard ground-based air defense systems. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Spain transferred an Aspide anti-aircraft missile battery and trained Ukrainian personnel to add another Western medium-range layer to Ukraine's air defense network.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- SeleniaMBDA Italy
- Built in
- Italy
Service History
- In service
- Baseline Aspide entered service during the Cold War; Aspide 2000 remains integrated with SPADA and Skyguard-family systems
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces, Spanish Air and Space Force, Italian Air Force
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Selenia
- Designed
- Late 1960s and 1970s
- Built by
- SeleniaMBDA Italy
- Built in
- Italy
- Unit cost
- Not publicly disclosed
- Produced
- 1970s onward
- Number built
- Not publicly disclosed
- Variants
- Aspide Mk.1, Aspide 2000
Specifications
- Guidance
- Semi-active radar homing
- Missile weight
- 240 kg for Aspide 2000
- Length
- 3.7 m
- Diameter
- 234 mm for Aspide 2000
- Ground-system coverage
- SPADA 2000 provides about 20 km radius intercept coverage
- Launcher integration
- Compatible with ALBATROS/ASPIDE, SPADA/ASPIDE, SKYGUARD/ASPIDE and AMOUN after modification
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukraine received a Spanish-supplied Aspide anti-aircraft missile battery and missiles in November 2022 after Ukrainian personnel trained on the system in Spain.
Related Weapon Systems
CrotaleShort-range surface-to-air missile systemCrotale is a French short-range surface-to-air missile family built around radar and electro-optical target tracking. The Crotale NG variant paired the VT-1 missile with an integrated launcher, search radar, tracking radar, and optical sensors, making it useful for point defense of forces and fixed sites against low-altitude air threats. France supplied Crotale NG systems to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War to reinforce layered air defense against Russian missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
MIM-104 PatriotLong-range surface-to-air and ballistic missile defense systemThe MIM-104 Patriot is a U.S.-origin, truck-mobile air and missile defense system built around phased-array radar, command-and-control vehicles, launchers, and PAC-2 or PAC-3 interceptor families. Its post-2015 combat record includes Ukrainian defense against Russian missile and air attacks, Saudi-led coalition defense against Houthi ballistic missile launches from Yemen, and U.S. Patriot batteries defending Al Udeid Air Base during Iranian retaliation after Operation Midnight Hammer.
MIM-23 HAWKMedium-range surface-to-air missile systemThe MIM-23 HAWK is a U.S.-origin medium-range surface-to-air missile system built around radar acquisition, target illumination, and semi-active radar-homing missiles. Developed for mobile low- to medium-altitude air defense and repeatedly upgraded after its 1960 fielding, HAWK returned to operational relevance in Ukraine through donated launchers, refurbished missiles, and sustainment support for air-defense fire units.
PAC-3 MSEHit-to-kill Patriot interceptor missilePAC-3 MSE is the Missile Segment Enhancement variant of Lockheed Martin's Patriot PAC-3 hit-to-kill interceptor family. It adds a larger dual-pulse solid rocket motor, larger fins, upgraded actuators, and higher performance for defeating ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft while retaining compatibility with modern Patriot launchers.
SAMP/TMobile long-range surface-to-air missile systemSAMP/T, also known as MAMBA in French service, is a Franco-Italian truck-mounted air and missile defense system built around Aster interceptors, a multifunction radar, and battery command-and-control modules. In Ukrainian service it fills a scarce long-range air-defense role against Russian aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and some ballistic-missile threats.
SkynexNetworked short-range air defense systemSkynex is Rheinmetall Air Defence's modular short-range air defense architecture built around the Oerlikon Skymaster battle management system, networked sensors such as X-TAR3D, and autonomous effectors including 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3 fire units with AHEAD air-burst ammunition. In Ukrainian service during the Russia-Ukraine War, the system fills a point-defense role against drones, cruise missiles, and other low-altitude threats around critical infrastructure.Sources
ASPIDE 2000Publisher: MBDA | Note: Supports Aspide 2000 manufacturer background, specifications, compatibility, and upgraded surface-to-air role. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SPADA 2000Publisher: MBDA | Note: Supports SPADA 2000 ground-based air defense context, Aspide 2000 semi-active missile use, and Spain/Italy service context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Envio de cuatro lanzadores de misiles Hawk a UcraniaPublisher: Estado Mayor de la Defensa, Ministerio de Defensa de Espana | Note: Directly supports that the Aspide anti-aircraft missile system was transferred to Ukraine by Spain during the Russia-Ukraine War, with Ukrainian personnel trained on the battery. | Accessed: 2026-06-20NASAMS, Aspide systems already in Ukraine - defense chiefPublisher: Ukrinform | Note: Directly supports that Aspide air defense systems were delivered to Ukraine and entered Ukrainian service during the Russia-Ukraine War in November 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File: Misil Aspide.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source for a photograph of an Aspide missile, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic. | Accessed: 2026-06-20