Ukrainian combat aviation uses American Zuni air-to-surface missiles against Russian invaders. Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk, showed a photo of the Su-25 attack aircraft armed with these missiles. Also another photo published in social networks. These aviation missiles are designed to hit ground targets, fortifications, other objects and columns of enemy equipment during the march. In January, the United States included 4,000 Zuni unguided air missiles in one of its military aid packages to Ukraine.

Su-25 attack aircraft of the ZSU with Zuni missiles. Photo: “Mykola Oleschuk”

The 127 mm Zuni air-to-ground unguided air-to-air missile was most actively used by the US Navy and Marine Corps in the military campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s, especially in Vietnam.

The missile was developed by engineers at the US Navy’s China Lake Air Weapons Station in the 1950s. It has been mass-produced since 1958 by the Hunter-Douglas division of Bridgeport Brass Company. Since 1966 the rocket has been produced under license by the Belgian company Forges de Zeebrugge, which is now owned by Thales.

Zuni missiles are launched from the LAU-10 container with 4 guides. In addition to American aircraft of the 60s and 70s, the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, F/A-18 Hornet and Bell AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters became weapon carriers.

The main features of the Zuni rocket:

Diameter: 127mm
Length: 2790mm
Stack: 46.3-61.6 kg (depending on engine type and warhead)
Weight of warhead: 20.7-25.6 kilos
Combat unit types: high explosive, high explosive, armor piercing, illuminating, smoke
Maximum speed: 725 m/s
Shooting range: 8 km.

In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the carriers of these American missiles became Su-25 attack aircraft, performing the task of attacking the fortifications and other ground objects of the Russian occupation forces on the front line. The closest counterpart to the Zuni in the arsenal of aviation weapons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is considered the Soviet 122-mm unguided air missile S-13. However, the C-13 is significantly inferior to the Zuni in terms of target engagement.