Ukraine and US enhance battlefield as remote repairs revolutionize military logistics

- "It's remarkable and we've never attempted something like this ourselves," shared Doug Bush, acting deputy secretary of the army for acquisitions, logistics, and technology. He holds that the American military should delve deeper into how it supports its troops in the field. Remote repairs, known as "tele conversations", can vastly streamline the repair of military equipment and remove the need for its pricey and protracted transport to specific warehouses, and subsequently, back to the front lines.

American outlet Task&Purpose notes that such an innovative approach took shape just three months post the inception of the war in Ukraine, and officially, the US Army established a dedicated helpline for Ukrainians using American weaponry in July 2022 at Jasionka. Personnel there remotely assisted with repairs and maintenance of military equipment. Ukrainians could call directly from the battlefront, and with the aid of encrypted voice channels, video links, and chats, they managed to get the M777 howitzers, HIMARS rocket systems, or Javelins up and running again.

These solutions offer valuable assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their bid to fend off assaults from the Russian adversary. It is important to remember that the FGM-148 Javelin, an advanced anti-tank weapon, was conceived in 1989 in the United States. Its immense success and user-friendly nature have earned it substantial acclaim globally. It has also received plaudits from the Ukrainians. Owing to the portable system of guided anti-tank missiles of the "fire and forget" type, they are capable of combating heavily armoured vehicles, such as Russian main battle tanks, as well as helicopters, and can also devastate bunkers and fortifications.

In contrast, the M777s are far lighter howitzers of 155 mm calibre, manufactured by the British arms conglomerate, BAE Systems. These were designed for the US Armed Forces rapid response units and are gradually phasing out the M198 howitzers, which are much heavier (made of steel, unlike the M777s that are made from titanium alloys) and of lesser combat utility. The M777s are also deployed by the armed forces of Australia, Canada, India, and Saudi Arabia. The howitzer's range with high-explosive shells is around 25 kilometres, with rocket-assisted projectiles (RAP), it's approximately 30 kilometres, and for M983 Excalibur projectiles, it's nearly 40 kilometres. This machinery's maximum rate of fire is five shots per minute, whereas its steady rate of fire is two shots per minute.

The HIMARS rocket systems rank amongst the most esteemed military equipment, which Ukrainians strive to maintain in the finest working condition. This weapon has been instrumental in numerous noteworthy attacks, causing significant damage to the Russian army's material and manpower. M142 HIMARS are multi-barrel rocket launchers, manufactured by the American corporation, Lockheed Martin. They are set up on a wheeled chassis (five-ton military truck FMTV 6x6). The vehicle can reach a maximum speed of 95 km/h, with its range touted at approximately 480 kilometres.

As we have previously reported, the HIMARS can handle various kinds of ammunition, taking in standard MLRS calibre 227 mm rockets and modern guided munitions. Not to leave out the M30/M31 missiles, purposely crafted for this launcher. These are guided to the target with the assistance of GPS, amongst other aspects, and their range is set at around 30-70 kilometres. HIMARS launchers can also be integrated with MGM-140 ATACMS tactical missiles (Army TACtical Missile System), a precision strike weapon with a range spanning between 25 kilometres to about 300 kilometres.