Ukraine turns the tide: ATACMS makes Russian targets vulnerable
After obtaining permission to use MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles to attack targets in Russia, Ukrainians are already taking action. The initial effects are noticeable, but they may not last. We explain why and present the performance of this weapon.
The Ukrainians conducted an attack on the 67th GRAU arsenal in the Bryansk region of Russia. The Russians claimed they shot down five out of the six launched missiles and suggested the losses were minimal. However, the explosions and large fire at the storage site indicated otherwise.
Meanwhile, Reuters, citing information from a U.S. official, claims that the Russians shot down only two of the eight launched ballistic missiles. Considering previous reports, ATACMS have even engaged in battles with S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft systems, which makes this the most likely scenario.
The biggest challenge for the Ukrainians might be securing sufficient missiles. As Forbes reports, fewer than 50 may have reached Ukraine, mostly versions from the 1990s. If the effectiveness of the strikes is to be maintained, Ukraine needs to receive several dozen more missiles in the coming months.
MGM-140 ATACMS — a weapon that's a nightmare for the Russians
In the latest attack, the Ukrainians used MGM-140 ATACMS M39 missiles, the first variant from the 1990s with a range of up to 160 kilometres, equipped only with less precise inertial navigation rather than satellite guidance. The reduced precision was intended to be offset by a large warhead containing 950 M74 APAM bomblets.
Over time, variants of missiles with an increased range of up to 300 kilometres and improved precision were developed thanks to the addition of satellite navigation, albeit with a smaller warhead. For comparison, the M39A1 variant contains 300 M74 APAM bomblets. There is also a missile variant with a standard high-explosive fragmentation warhead, known as "unitary".
The M74 APAM bomblets themselves are spherical, weighing about 0.5 kilograms and having a diameter of approximately 5 centimetres. Their lethal effectiveness reaches several metres. Inside their tungsten casing is a mixture of explosives and incendiary substances with a simple impact fuse. This composition means that in addition to creating a shower of fragments capable of penetrating even bulletproof vests, it is also possible to start a fire in the strike zone.
The most important feature of the MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles is their flight speed of about 3,700 kilometres per hour, allowing them to cover hundreds of kilometres in minutes. This gives the enemy's air defence little time to react, and importantly, shooting down ballistic missiles requires fairly scarce medium-range anti-aircraft systems.
These are always in short supply, requiring decisions about which regions to protect at the expense of others. Until now, Ukraine faced these dilemmas, but now, thanks to ATACMS, so does Russia.
