{"id":85915,"date":"2022-08-25T14:46:16","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T14:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/08\/25\/vampire-to-transform-ukraine-pickups-into-deadly-missile-launchers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:50:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:50:57","slug":"vampire-to-transform-ukraine-pickups-into-deadly-missile-launchers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2022\/08\/25\/vampire-to-transform-ukraine-pickups-into-deadly-missile-launchers\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Vampire\u2019 to transform Ukraine pickups into deadly missile launchers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. is sending Ukraine \u201cVampire\u201d kits that transform pickup trucks and other non-tactical vehicles into highly portable missile launchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of a $3 billion package for Ukraine that the Pentagon announced Wednesday<\/a>, the Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment system is a portable kit that can be installed on most vehicles with a cargo bed for launching the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System or other laser-guided munitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The L3Harris-made weapon \u2015 a small, four-barreled rocket launcher and sensor ball \u2015 can be mounted in two hours and operated by a single person, the company said. It can be equipped with missiles to hit ground or air targets including unmanned aircraft systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Vampire system itself is a counter-UAS system, \u201d said Colin Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, said at a press briefing Wednesday. \u201cIt is a kinetic system that uses small missiles essentially to shoot UAVs out of the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t