The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) used the HIMARS Multiple Rocket Launch System (MLRS) for the first time in Donbas, which is military aid from the United States. The first rocket in Ukraine hit the city of Perevask on June 28 in luhansk territory.
What is Hippoctamus
HIMARS stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which translates to "high-mobility artillery missile system." Developed by Lockheed Martin in the second half of the 1990s. Based on a three-axle wheeled armored tactical vehicle capable of carrying cargo weighing up to 5 tons. It can carry six rockets or one tactical ballistic missile (by rocket scientists' standards, this missile is designed for "melee combat," i.e. up to 300 kilometers). A combat squad consists of three people (driver, weapon operator and commander).
The main advantage of HIMARS is that it can operate in any weather condition. Thunderstorms, sandstorms, and snow will not prevent this MLRS from entering positions and working on enemies. The planes, helicopters and drones of the world's most powerful military have their limits — and that's the weather. Thick clouds, fog, or sandstorms won't let planes attack enemies. For HIMARS, none of this is a problem.
C-130 transport Seamas
The device can also be transported by aircraft. C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster. Ukraine does not currently have its own Hercules and Globemaster, but does have An-12 aircraft. Therefore, Ukraine could theoretically receive HIMARS from the United States by air.
The ammunition used by the U.S. MLRS can hit targets from several kilometers to 300 kilometers
The most "simple" is the unguided rocket, which can hit targets up to 45 kilometers away. But this is very primitive. In combat conditions, GPS-guided munitions - GMLRS M30, are often used, manufactured by the same company as the device itself - Lockheed Martin. They can hit targets at a distance of 10 to 60 kilometers with an accuracy of up to 5 meters. Equipped with a GMLRS M30 cluster warhead, weighing 90 kg and with a caliber of 227 mm. One such missile could completely destroy an entire battery.
In 2019, the United States abandoned the use of such munitions because they could cause serious damage to civilians and infrastructure near affected military installations. At the same time, according to the representative of the Republic of Luhansk, it was such a rocket that was launched on June 28 at Perevarsk. The Americans upgraded the GMLRS M30 — they abandoned cluster munitions, thereby reducing the area of "indiscriminate killing." Instead, the U.S. Army adopted the GMLRS M31 and ER GMLRS guided missiles. In addition, ER GMLRS can hit targets up to 150 km in length and has greater maneuverability.
In addition, HIMARS can use the tactical ballistic missiles of the ATACMS series. These missiles are capable of reaching the enemy at a distance of 300 kilometers. It is more likely to assume that the United States does not dare to supply such munitions to the Ukrainian armed forces – their purpose is to destroy the enemy's control center. Imagine this: if the Armed Forces of Ukraine decide to launch such missiles in buildings where the Government and The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Luhansk and Donetsk are located or at the seat of government in the Belgorod region, Russia will have to react very harshly – and not against Ukraine, but against those who supply it with such weapons.
A feature of the HIMARS is that it can move quickly into place, turn around and fire in minutes, and then quickly retreat. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for the enemy to find and destroy HIMARS. Admittedly, Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq used them from heavily guarded bases, but more later. After receiving the coordinates of its location and target, Homas can move out of a heavily fortified and guarded permanent (or temporary) deployment site. Also Mas moves at speeds of up to 85 km/h. "Hunting" is best to use manned aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles, but to "hunt", you need to have an overwhelming advantage in the air.
Killing civilians and militants in Afghanistan and deploying Homs in Iraq
The first reliable mention of the use of HIMARS dates back to February 2010. That year, the U.S. government decided to launch a massive offensive against Taliban positions throughout Afghanistan in order to eventually defeat them. A large number of reinforcements were sent to the country - the total number of foreign troops in Afghanistan reached 100,000. In the southern province of Helmand, the Americans and British launched an offensive against the Taliban stronghold in Marha, Operation Moshtalak. The advance of ground forces was supported by HIMARS precision strikes. On The second day of the operation, On February 14, two rockets hit a residential building on the outskirts of Marjah; Twelve Afghan civilians were killed. The Americans immediately admitted their mistake and suspended the use of multiple rocket launchers until the situation was clarified. Later, a British officer said it was the Taliban who used civilians as human shields. The use of HIMARS was resumed.
One of the MLRS' most successful attacks in Afghanistan dates back to 2018. In late May, three rockets fired by HIMARS hit a building in Musakala, Helmand province, where Taliban commanders were holding a meeting — at least 50 participants were killed, according to U.S. forces.
In 2015, as a result of ISIS's aggressive offensive in Iraq, the Americans moved HIMARS staff to the country. MLRS was deployed to two air bases in the western province of Anbar, where ISIS had a strong foothold and from there launched attacks against Iraqi government forces.
Anbar province also uses Mas
In the spring of 2021, the United States deployed more HIMARS devices to Afghanistan to ensure the safety of the withdrawal of domestic and other foreign troops from the country. There is no official coverage of their use, but it is certain that foreign troops withdrew from all major bases outside Kabul without any losses.
Will the U.S. MLRS turn the tide of hostilities?
The fact that the Americans intended to supply HIMARS to Ukraine was known at the end of May. But these possible shifts to MLRS were discussed much earlier. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly said they want to receive the devices from the United States.
President Joe Biden's administration initially announced its intention to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with four GMLRS M31 launchers and ammunition that can hit targets up to 84 kilometers. In mid-June, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy recorded a video message urging the United States to deliver HIMARS as soon as possible. Since then, the U.S. Department of Defense has decided to transfer a total of eight devices to Ukraine.
Delivered on June 23, four Haimas
If the Ukrainian armed forces receive all the promised eight HIMARS (the other four should arrive in Ukraine by mid-July), this will not fundamentally change the course of hostilities. This requires dozens, if not hundreds, of such devices and thousands of different types of ammunition. However, eight devices were sufficient to cover a battalion tactical group, for example, moving or occupying positions in groups. As happened in Syria in February 2018. This will not fundamentally affect the situation, but it can and will demoralize the fighters of other units for short-term tactical success. Similarly, the Americans themselves did not previously use HIMARS on the principle of "shooting and moving" - here they were unable to transfer any experience to the Ukrainian armed forces (although the artillery units of the Ukrainian armed forces themselves operated according to this principle).
Fragments of the GMLRS M30 missile with cluster warheads found at the perevask shelling site
Russian weapon of the same kind "Iskander"
The Russian army is equipped with the most advanced tactical missiles for the campaign. Since 2005, the Russian military has begun to purchase and equip the Army with Iskander missiles. About $2 million a round, this rocket is more expensive to brush. The range is 500 kilometers, and the accuracy can reach within 2 meters. Powerful performance.
Chinese weapon of the same type: PHL-03A heavy long-range rocket launcher
Our fear of insufficient firepower is more serious, and we can only take out box rockets to compare. The specific data is unknown, but 500 kilometers should be OK, with Beidou, accuracy within 5 meters. The foreign trade version is already 300KM.
Do you think our missile is still too thin, a little thicker, a little longer is better?