Ukrainian Strikes in Crimea: How ATACMS Missiles Turn the Tide
Ukrainians continue to use MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles to devastate Russian strategic targets located deep in the rear. One of them is the Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile launchers. We present the capabilities of the MGM-140 ATACMS missiles.
On 4 May, Ukrainians conducted another attack using MGM-140 ATACMS missiles, which this time aimed to eliminate the Iskander-M ballistic missile launchers. Iskander-M. This represents a significant loss for Russia, as Iskander-M missiles are among the few weapons against which Ukrainians have very limited defensive capabilities.
The attack took place in Crimea, and Russian sources on Telegram have confirmed the loss of the Iskanders. Furthermore, in satellite photos, albeit in very low resolution, large areas of scorched earth are visible. It can be said that the Ukrainians fought fire with fire.
MGM-140 ATACMS missiles - the Russian vanquisher with potent destructive power
The ballistic missiles supplied by the USA have repeatedly proven their effectiveness, devastating Russian helicopters at airports or even damaging or destroying anti-aircraft systems intended to counter them, including the latest S-400 Triumph.
So far, recordings of attacks show that the Ukrainians use missiles in the M39 and/or M39A1 versions, i.e., equipped with cluster munition warheads. The first of them, M39, is a missile with a range of 164 kilometres with a guidance system based solely on inertial navigation. The second, M39A1, is characterized by an extended range of up to 299 kilometres and uses satellite navigation. Although it is prone to interference, thanks to its enormous destructive power, this is a much smaller problem than in the case of GLSDB or M982 Excalibur.
Both mentioned variations of the MGM-140 ATACMS missiles contain a payload of M74 APAM bomblets. The older variant M39 carries 950 of them, while the newer M39A1 has 300, as part of the space inside the missile is allocated for a larger fuel supply.
Each M74 APAM bomblet is a sphere 6 centimetres in diameter and weighs 0.59 kilograms. It is capable of striking targets within a few metres. It contains an explosive and incendiary mixture in a tungsten casing, which, upon explosion, creates lethal fragments capable of penetrating bulletproof vests or aircraft fuselages.
These bomblets are additionally designed to scatter an incendiary substance, which can ignite fuel from damaged aircraft. Their release from the cluster munition warhead still in the air is accompanied by a distinctive roar, which has become the Russians' nightmare. Moments later, bomblets detonate upon contact with the ground, destroying everything over a significant area.
