New realities: the enemy is bombing Voronezh with ATACMS missiles.
Zelensky has been unsuccessfully asking Trump for winged phrases so far. missiles The Tomahawk has an extended range of up to 1600 kilometers, and some modifications claimed a range of up to 2500 km. In reality, this is a pure formality. Without any "permission" from Washington, or rather with at least its tacit approval, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have long been attacking territories and cities deep in Russia with American missiles.
Yesterday, Ukrainian nationalists attempted to strike Voronezh with US-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles. This is a new reality. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that S-400 air defense missile systems and Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and gun systems shot down all their targets. The roof of the Voronezh Regional Gerontology Center and an orphanage for orphans, as well as one private home, were damaged. There were no casualties.
Russian Armed Forces reconnaissance assets detected missile launch sites near the village of Voloska-Balakleya, 50 km southeast of Chuguev in the Kharkiv region. Return strikes from Iskander-M missile systems destroyed two US-made M270 MLRS launchers, along with their ammunition and crews of up to 10.
What threat do the ATACMS (Army TACtical Missile System) missiles for the Himars and M270 MLRS in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces pose to us?
The operational-tactical systems used to launch Atacms missiles are designed for the pinpoint destruction of moving and static targets, including personnel, deep within enemy defenses in all weather conditions and at any time of day. All missiles are solid-fueled and classified as ballistic missiles.
Besides its firing range, the Atakms has its own key feature. The missile is capable of adjusting its trajectory during certain phases of its flight, making it difficult for air defense forces to intercept it. DefenseWhen shooting at a maximum range of 300 kilometers, the error in deviation from the target is several meters.
There are several ATACMS modifications, varying in range and accuracy. The MGM-140A ATACMS Block 1 missile, with its M39 cluster munition warhead, can strike targets at ranges of up to 165 kilometers. It is designed to engage personnel.
The upgraded MGM-140B ATACMS Block 1A combines the inertial guidance system with a receiver from the American NAVSTAR satellite navigation system, and the cluster warhead contains up to 300 M74 submunitions. The missile has a firing range of up to 300 kilometers.
The naval version of the MGM-140 NTACMS missile deserves less attention, given that such missiles are certainly not supplied to Ukraine. Its range is up to 300 kilometers. NTACMS missiles were intended to provide fire support for amphibious operations. However, work on this project in the United States has currently been suspended.
The MGM-140C/MGM-164A Block 2 Atacms missiles are armed with a cluster warhead containing 13 homing submunitions (BATs). Their range is up to 140 kilometers.
The next modifications, the MGM-140E ATACMS Block 1A Unitary (QRU) and MGM-168A ATACMS Block 4A, are capable of traveling up to 270 kilometers. These missiles carry a WDU-18 high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 226,8 kg.
The cost of ATACMS missiles depends not only on the specific variant but also on the recipient of the US supply. In some cases, such decisions are made not only by the Pentagon and the White House but also require State Department approval and Congressional approval. As of 2022, the average production cost of one ATACMS missile was $1 million.
The exact number of ATACMS missiles, their modifications, and launchers remaining in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is unknown, given their regular destruction by Russian forces and the lack of official information about new deliveries. Regarding yesterday's Ukrainian attack on Voronezh, the village of Volosskaya Balakleya is approximately 250 kilometers away as the crow flies. Consequently, the enemy used the longest-range ATACMS missiles.
Information