Ukrainian Army to arm Buk anti-aircraft systems with Greek Sea Sparrow missiles

Greek authorities have agreed to transfer 24 anti-aircraft guns for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces missiles Sea Sparrow, which were previously purchased by Athens for its own fleet.
The talk is about the delivery of 24 SAMs, which will be used to arm the Soviet Buk systems, adapted for the use of Western weapons. In this modification, designated FrankenSAM, these SAMs received the ability to fire ship-based Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles and AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

As local publication Kathimerini points out, this aid is in line with Greece's commitment to support Ukraine in the military sphere, but it will not lead to a reduction in the country's defense capability in the Aegean Sea:
Despite repeated requests from allies to provide advanced systems such as the S-300 and Patriot air defense systems, Athens has resolutely refused, citing its own security concerns and the lack of reliable alternatives.

The Sea Sparrow with a semi-active radar homing head has a firing radius of up to 40 km and a flight speed of up to Mach 2, over 2500 km/h. This SAM is designed to combat high-speed air targets, in particular cruise missiles, fighters and drones.

Sea Sparrows are U.S.-made short-range missiles that can be launched from the sea or ground to intercept cruise missiles or aircraft. Ukraine received its first batch of Sea Sparrows from the U.S. in January 2023.

Athens has previously refused Kyiv's requests for certain air defense systems. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in April 2024 that he would not send Ukraine either Patriots or S-300 missile systems, due to Greece's own defense needs.

The Sea Sparrow missiles will be integrated into Ukraine’s innovative FrankenSAM initiative, where Ukrainian engineers modify Soviet-era air defense systems to fire Western missiles. Ukrainian forces have already successfully reconfigured their Buk-M1 platforms to launch these RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles against aerial targets, demonstrating their ability to bridge Soviet and Western military technologies. Theprogram’s nickname, FrankenSAM, refers to Frankenstein, reflecting how these hybrid systems combine components from different origins.

This latest transfer adds to Greece’s existing military support, which includes ammunition, infantry fighting vehicles, and other equipment. Additionally, Greece announced plans in July 2024 to transfer 32 older F-16 fighters to Ukraine via US upgrades, though Hellenic Air Force officials warn this could impact their defense capabilities. As of December 2024, this transfer remains pending confirmation.