US‑supplied ATACMS missiles deliver devastating blow to Russian forces
Ukrainians continue their attacks into the depths of Russian territory using MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles provided by the USA. The latest target was a military range near the city of Kuban in the Luhansk region, where at least 116 Russians were killed. This article delves into the background of this attack and examines the capabilities of the weapons used by the Ukrainians.
Ukrainians keep bombarding key Russian facilities with MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles. Following an attack on airports in Crimea, the focus shifted to the Kuban range in the Luhansk region.
Three ATACMS missiles, each loaded with cluster warheads containing hundreds of M74 APAM bomblets, were launched into the area. This type of armament covers a large area of impact. The video below captures the moment when the bomblets are dispersed. One missile struck a gathering of Russian soldiers directly, resulting in at least 116 casualties.
Weapon of destruction from the USA
The Ukrainians employed a version of the MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missile equipped with a cluster warhead, which could be the older M39 or the newer M39A1 model. Each contains a deadly payload of M74 APAM bomblets, roughly the size of balls with a diameter of about 60mm and weighing approximately 590g.
Inside each bomblet, a mix of explosive and incendiary material alongside an impact fuse is encased in tungsten. When detonated, this mixture produces shrapnel that can easily penetrate bulletproof vests and the exteriors of aircraft and helicopters. Essentially, survival chances in the immediate vicinity are slim to none.
Effective weapon in Ukraine's arsenal
Furthermore, the explosion disperses the incendiary mix, igniting substances like the fuel from damaged tanks. The number of bomblets varies with the type of missile; the older M39 has up to 950 bomblets, whereas the M39A1 can carry up to 300.
The main difference is that the older missile, with a reach of up to 160km, has a greater warhead-to-fuel ratio than the newer models, which can hit targets up to 300km away. Also, the older missiles rely on less accurate inertial navigation, whereas the newer versions incorporate satellite navigation—which can also have its issues.
The massive destructive capacity somewhat mitigates the impact of reduced accuracy, which would be critical for standard artillery shells. Additionally, it's noteworthy that even Russia's latest anti-air and anti-missile systems, the S-400 Triumph, struggle to intercept MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles.
