GMLRS strikes challenge Russian-North Korean efforts in Kursk
The Russian personnel in the Kursk region were struck by M30 version GMLRS rockets, which contain a mix of several hundred anti-armour and anti-personnel bomblets. We examine their capabilities and discuss the effects of the attack.
The Russians, alongside soldiers from North Korea, tirelessly attempt to reclaim the area of the Kursk region occupied by Ukrainians. Despite their numerical advantage, they have not been able to make progress in recent weeks, while Ukrainians are endeavouring to neutralise their opponent's superiority using, among other methods, GMLRS M30 version missiles with a cluster warhead.
The video below demonstrates how three M30 GMLRS missiles impact the forest area occupied by the Russians and/or Koreans, creating distinct death zones with hundreds of bomblets.
M30 GMLRS rockets — a controversial weapon with immense destructive force
The M30 GMLRS missiles with a cluster warhead were manufactured from 2004 to 2009, until transitioning to a less controversial Alternative Warhead in the M30A1 version, which eliminated duds.
The cluster variant M30 contains a classic cluster warhead with precisely 404 M101 DPICM bomblets released in the air over a designated area. They are quite similar to the more common M85 DPICM (Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) weighing approximately 300 grams, capable of penetrating armour thickness of about 10 to 13 cm and affecting soft targets with fragments within a range of a few metres.
As observed in the footage, three M30 missiles resulted in a dispersal of 1,212 bomblets over the area occupied by Russians or Koreans, which can essentially only be defended against by armour cover or an armoured vehicle with a roof. The latter is intended to induce the detonation of a bomblet, for instance, 20 cm from the actual armour, which in turn protects against fragments.
In contrast, the precise delivery of the cluster warhead at distances up to about 80 kilometres is ensured by a guidance system that combines inertial and satellite navigation, achieving precision within a few metres under optimal conditions. Although GPS signal jamming reduces precision by a few metres, for this type of area-effect warhead, it is not of major significance.
