Unguided Zuni aircraft missiles in Ukraine
Launch of Zuni missiles by a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Last year, the United States transferred several thousand ungovernable civilians to Ukraine as military assistance. aviation Zuni-type missiles. They were proposed to be used on existing aircraft and helicopters to combat Russian the troopsTo help its ally, the Pentagon sacrificed its last stock of this type of missile. However, this delivery, like many others, did not live up to expectations and did not affect the course of the fighting.
In two packages
With the collapse of the USSR, independent Ukraine received large reserves of unguided aircraft missiles (UAR) S-13 Tulumbas missiles. In 2014 this weapon used against the Donbass republics, and in 2022 against Russian troops.
The combat use of missiles and regular attacks on their storage sites led to the fact that by the beginning of 2023, the military forces had no combat-ready Tulumbas left.
On January 6, 2023, the Pentagon announced its intention to restore the Ukrainian stockpile of large-caliber missiles. Ammunition of this class was included in a new package of military-technical assistance totaling more than $3 billion. According to a press release, 4 thousand missiles of the 5-inch Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket (FFAR), also known as Zuni, were prepared for shipment to Ukraine. LAU-10/A launch units were transferred along with them.
At the end of May, another aid package worth $300 million was approved. It included the second batch of Zuni NAR. The Pentagon press release did not specify the number of missiles, but later they reported that 2 thousand were being prepared for shipment.
Then new interesting details became known. It turned out that until recently the warehouses of the US armed forces contained approx. 6 thousand Zuni missiles that were still serviceable and usable. At the beginning of 2023, they decided to transfer all these reserves to Ukraine.
Zuni missiles from the first batch. Presumably April-May 2023. Photo by Ukrainian Air Force
Deliveries of two batches of NAR were completed no later than the summer of 2023, and after that, American combat aircraft were left without Zuni products. However, unguided missiles of other types remain in arsenals.
In March 2024, the Greek press reported that the country's government plans to provide Kyiv with 2 thousand Zuni missiles. However, these news were not continued or did not correspond to reality at all. The delivery of NAR from Greece has not yet been reported.
Thus, to date, Ukraine has received only two batches of Zuni missiles from one foreign partner. In total, 6 thousand missiles were transferred. It is unknown whether other foreign countries are going to provide this kind of assistance. So far, only one country has reported this, but everything has been limited to unconfirmed news.
Rockets in Ukraine
The first batch of American missiles arrived in Ukraine no later than the spring of 2023. At the beginning of May, the first photographs of Zuni products at Ukrainian airfields appeared on the Internet. Soon the enemy began publishing photos and videos of the combat use of such missiles.
It is known that the carriers of American missiles in the Ukrainian Air Force were Su-25 attack aircraft and Mi-24 combat helicopters. “Zuni” are used with standard units of LAU-10/A unguided missiles, which were slightly modified for suspension on Soviet-style equipment. Each unit carries 4 missiles, and the number of such devices on the carrier is determined by the assigned combat mission.
The enemy published videos of attempts to use imported missiles in combat. Fearing Russian air defense fire, Ukrainian aviation launches unguided missiles from a nose-up position and from extreme distances. After launch, the attack aircraft or helicopter abruptly changes course to avoid falling into the affected area of anti-aircraft missiles.
The Ukrainian side is hiding the combat load options for the aircraft. Photo by Ukrainian Air Force
Zuni products, like other guided missiles, have limited accuracy and accuracy even under optimal operating conditions. Launching from a pitch-up position increases the range, but further reduces the accuracy of hits. At the same time, Ukrainian Su-25s do not have targeting systems similar to the Russian Hephaestus subsystem.
As a result, the combat use of the Zuni missile by Ukrainian aviation does not live up to expectations. For objective reasons, the results of their use remain extremely low, and the damage to Russian troops is minimal.
Risks and losses
In general, the Zuni NAR turned out to be not the best new product for the Ukrainian Air Force. They did not give combat aviation any noticeable advantages, nor did they relieve it of obvious risks.
The designated range of the Zuni missile is 8 km. This means that even with the maximum launch range, the aircraft or carrier helicopter is not protected from Russian air defense. Ukrainian Su-25 and Mi-24 have to enter the kill zone of the main types of air defense systems.
Attempts to use American missiles, as before with Soviet missiles, regularly end in the destruction of their carriers. However, it is unknown exactly how many Ukrainian planes and helicopters were shot down when attempting to use Zuni.
Russian army also destroys enemy weapons stockpiles. There is reason to believe that as a result of regular strikes on warehouses and storage sites, some of the Zuni missiles were knocked out.
Mi-24 uses Zuni missiles
For example, on May 12, 2023, a precision weapon strike was carried out on an arms depot near the city of Khmelnitsky. As a result of the impact, a fire and detonation of stored ammunition occurred, which led to a series of powerful explosions and the almost complete destruction of the facility. It is assumed that this warehouse supported the activities of the Starokonstantinov airbase.
According to unconfirmed reports, the warehouse contained a large number of foreign-made aircraft weapons, including hundreds of Zuni missiles. Thus, just one carefully planned strike caused serious damage to the “insurgent forces” and their combat effectiveness.
It is obvious that the Zuni missiles were stored not only in a warehouse in the Khmelnitsky region. Probably, our army could destroy some of these weapons along with other objects.
Unguided munition
The FFAR Zuni, a “5-inch folding tail aircraft missile,” was developed by American industry in the mid-fifties. In 1957, it entered service with the US Air Force and Navy.
Later, such weapons began to be exported. It was transferred to a number of friendly countries, mainly from NATO. Ukraine has now become the latest recipient of such NARs.
"Zuni" were actively used by American aircraft in all major conflicts involving the United States. They were also used by airplanes and helicopters from other countries. In general, the NAR performed satisfactorily.
American F-4B fighter uses Zuni missiles, 1964. Photo of the US Department of Defense
Zuni is a solid-fuel unguided air-to-surface missile compatible with various launch vehicles. It is made in a cylindrical body with a diameter of 127 mm and a length of 2 m. The body is smooth, and in the tail there is a stabilizer of four folding planes. Launch weight - more than 55 kg, depending on the type of warhead.
The Zuni missiles were equipped with Mk 16 and Mk 71 solid fuel engines with different characteristics. In all cases, the maximum speed reached 720 m/s. Range – up to 8 km.
Seven types of warheads with different loads were produced. They contained high-explosive fragmentation, cumulative fragmentation, smoke, etc. charges. The weight of the head part is up to 25 kg, depending on the type.
Doubtful help
In recent years, the United States has regularly provided assistance to Kyiv by supplying various types of weapons. However, not all deliveries bring the expected results.
Having lost the Soviet-made NAR S-13, the Ukrainian Air Force received a similar American model. However, in current conditions it has very limited potential, and its use is associated with serious risks for airplanes and helicopters. All these risks were realized in practice and additionally hit Ukrainian combat aviation.
By supplying Zuni missiles, the Pentagon was able to support its ally, and at the same time get rid of old weapons and free up space in its warehouses. Thus, the United States has solved its problems, and they do not seem to care about the negative consequences for Ukraine.
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