Can be turned into mini-MRLSs: what is known about the CRV7 missiles Budanov asked Canada for

The Canadian government intends to spend millions of dollars to dispose of tens of thousands of CRV7 air-to-ground missiles. However, Ukraine's military leadership is asking the Canadians to transfer these weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CRV7 missiles would not only help Ukraine fight off Russian troops but also save Canadian taxpayers the cost of destroying them. OBOZ.UA found out what these missiles are and how Ukrainian troops can use them in combat.

During a debate in the House of Commons on the bill to update the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre said that the Canadian Armed Forces have a stockpile of more than 83,000 CRV7 missiles that were decommissioned in the early 2000s.

Three years ago, the federal government signed a contract to dispose of the missiles over several years. However, Poilievre said Ukraine asked Canada to transfer the CRV7s instead of destroying them.

Budanov, in turn, explained that Ukraine urgently needs the CRV7 missiles due to a shortage of ammunition. The lieutenant general clarified that CRV7s will be used both in Ukrainian attack helicopters and in ground launchers to destroy Russian tanks and artillery. This means that the CRV7 missiles can be used as projectiles for multiple launch rocket systems.

The Defense Express portal clarified that the CRV7s are not missiles but 70 mm unguided rockets based on the American Hydra 70.

Military experts consider the CRV7 to be a very successful unguided missile. Due to a more powerful engine and other changes, it was possible to achieve a greater range and accuracy than the original Hydra 70.

Canada has developed special warheads for the CRV7, designed to hit protected objects such as aircraft shelters and can penetrate up to 4 meters of ground or 1 meter of concrete. In addition, there is a specialized Canadian warhead, the WDU-5002/B FAT, for destroying tanks with tungsten-steel elements.

The missile was used in the early 1970s. It remains one of the most powerful unguided assault missiles to this day, having become the de facto standard aircraft missile of Western countries (except the United States) and their allies.

According to Magellan Aerospace, a Canadian manufacturer of aerospace systems and components, the CRV7 features longer range, shorter time to target and superior accuracy. The CRV7 system includes composite rocket engines, launchers, and various training and operational warheads to reach targets.

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