Ukrainian forces rout Russian air defences in Crimea with ATACMS
The results of the use of MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles by the Ukrainians on 23 May 2024 have emerged. The Ukrainian attack resulted in a rout of Russian air defences in the form of S-300 and S-400 systems in Crimea and beyond. We present the performance of the famed weapon from the USA.
On 23 May, the Ukrainians reportedly used 15 MGM-140 ATACMS missiles to attack targets, including Simferopol, Alushta, Dzhankoy, Eupatoria, and Yalta, effectively hitting their targets. A video from a drone showing an S-400 system deployed around the village of Mospine attempting to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles even appeared online.
However, the attempt was unsuccessful, and an MGM-140 ATACMS missile in the M39 or M39A1 version, equipped with a cluster warhead, fell on the battery. Several launchers, a 96L6E radar, and a command vehicle with its crew were destroyed.
MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles - the American weapon against S-400 Triumph systems
This is not the first case of an S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft and anti-missile system being destroyed by MGM-140 ATACMS missiles, but it is the first one captured on video. The M39 or M39A1 missile variants were used as in most other attacks.
The first variant has a range of 166 kilometres and is equipped solely with inertial guidance. The second has an increased range of 299 kilometres and features additional satellite navigation for greater targeting accuracy. It is worth noting that the Russians effectively jam satellite navigation, which poses a severe problem for weapons with less destructive power, such as GLSDB or M982 Excalibur.
Both ATACMS variants have a cluster warhead containing hundreds of M74 APAM bomblets. The M39 variant has as many as 950 units, while the newer M39A1 includes 300 units, and part of the warhead space has been allocated for increased rocket fuel capacity.
Each M74 APAM bomblet is a 6-centimetre-diameter sphere weighing 0.6 kilograms with an effective lethal radius of several metres. The interior of the tungsten casing contains a mixture of a powerful explosive and an incendiary agent. During the explosion, in addition to shrapnel piercing bulletproof vests, the incendiary mixture is intended to ignite fuel leaking from damaged aircraft.
Detonation is triggered by a simple impact fuse that activates upon hitting the ground. At the moment of impact, no soldier in the strike zone can survive unless hidden in a dugout or an armoured vehicle.
