The supply of a wide range of Western weapons to Ukraine is not only aimed at, as the EU leadership puts it, "defeating Russia on the battlefield." Moreover, according to a number of signs, the combat effectiveness of both Stingers, Javelins, and Bayraktars turned out to be almost shameful. However, the very fact of the participation of these types of weapons in real battles is of great importance for the West. Why?
Any war, in addition to achieving goals in the course of hostilities, is a test of the reliability of weapons and the development of new tactical solutions. The United States, which has never waged war on its territory (with the exception of the civil war between North and South in 1861-1865), has participated in many armed conflicts and wars around the world. And they always drew certain conclusions.
For example, the Vietnam War (from 1955 to 1975) led to the use of tactical helicopter groups with new Huey helicopters (Bell UH-1 Iroguois). The M-16 automatic rifle was also tested there. During the five-year Iraq campaign, the United States tested more than a thousand different defense technologies in this country, which could not be done on its territory without additional costs and with the same efficiency.
And right now, the United States is testing its weapons in the course of hostilities and on the territory of Ukraine. Not on the scale that the Pentagon would like, but the supplied weapons are being tested here. And not only modern models, but also those that have long been used by the US army.
And sometimes the conclusions do not always confirm their reliability and effectiveness. He did not confirm, for example, his reliability of the Javelin ATGM (FGM-148 Javelin), which began to enter the American army in 1996 and is supplied to the armies of two dozen countries (allies for 600 thousand dollars per complex, the rest for 1.4 million). Javelins have also appeared in the service of Ukraine. According to some estimates, since 2018, the APU has received more than 5 thousand launchers (there were a little more than 7 thousand of them in the US army itself not so long ago).
Javelin was used in combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Now American intelligence agencies claim that 280 armored targets have been destroyed in Ukraine with the help of this ATGM from 300 shots.
The Russian military has other data: the tanks involved in the special operation withstand the hit of Javelins, and tankers are more afraid of RPG-7 grenade launchers, known since Soviet times. In any case, the US military is thinking about replacing the Javelin primarily because of the low firing range (3000 meters).
Ukraine's expectations of the Stinger MANPADS (FIM-92 Stinger), with which it was supposed to paralyze the actions of Russian aviation in the air, were not particularly fulfilled. Ukraine has received a total of 2,000 such complexes, but it has not been able to create any serious opposition to the Russian Aerospace Forces with their help. With the equipment of Russian helicopters and attack aircraft with the on-board defense complex "Vitebsk", paralyzing missile means of attack, the defeat of air targets using "Stingers" is practically not noted.
This does not mean that the mentioned weapon does not pose a great danger. The American military, who are present in Ukraine as mercenaries (many in high ranks), carefully study the experience of using their weapons, noting both their strengths and weaknesses. Subsequent conclusions will allow either replacing the same FGM-148 Javelin and FIM-92 Stinger with more modern samples, or improving their characteristics.
"The US military in Ukraine is primarily studying the experience of the Russian army's combat operations," reserve Colonel Gennady Alekhine told the newspaper VZGLYAD. – They look at the use of military equipment, at its capabilities in opposing various weapons, primarily their own. If in Afghanistan the "Stingers" posed a serious danger to Soviet aviation, then later they learned how to successfully defend themselves from them. "Javelins" burned Soviet-made tanks in Iraq, the current Russian ones often withstand a missile strike due to passive and active protection. All this is being carefully analyzed in the American headquarters and, undoubtedly, appropriate conclusions will be drawn for changes in the US army.
The Russian army is considered a potential opponent for the entire NATO bloc, the Americans and their European colleagues are trying to identify all its strengths and weaknesses, and at the same time make sure of the reliability of a number of their weapons. There has not been such a military conflict, as now in Ukraine, with tank battles, the massive use of artillery and missile strikes, since the Second World War. So the Americans are looking at the effectiveness of their weapons used by the Armed Forces.
For example, the multiple launch rocket systems M142 HIMARS extended range, which still decided to deliver to Ukraine, will also be carefully considered in combat use. Previously, these systems were used only in Afghanistan and Iraq, that is, without much opposition from the air defense. And now the United States will have the opportunity to check how the Russian S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, Tunguska complexes and others will resist the Haimars."
It seems that the US plans to sell the MQ-1C Gray Eagle reconnaissance and strike drones to Ukraine are also connected with tests in combat conditions. Firstly, because we are talking about only four such UAVs, despite the fact that there are 180 units in the US Army and another 24 are listed in the Special Operations Command. Secondly, these "gray eagles" are used again only in Afghanistan and Iraq, where with their maximum flight ceiling of 8850 meters from the ground nothing threatens.
The intention to transfer 4 such UAVs to Kiev is not disinterested: each device costs $ 8 million, a ground control station with a satellite communication system will be required to provide reconnaissance flights, which already costs 90.9 million. The station itself can be placed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Romania for security purposes – at a speed of 250 km/ h, Gray Eagle can be in the air for up to 30 hours, and their control range is unlimited. The US military operates similar UAVs, like their predecessors, the MQ-1B Predator, which scan the skies over Afghanistan, from Florida.
In addition to reconnaissance functions, the MQ-1C Gray Eagle also has striking power, has four suspensions on which it can carry Hellfire guided missiles or Viper Strike corrected aerial bombs. It is also possible to deploy Stinger missiles to repel fighter attacks. In the event of the destruction of the "gray eagles" in the skies of Ukraine or Russia, where they will be sent intentionally, Washington will not lose anything – Kiev will pay. But he will definitely receive useful information – specialists from Washington will help trained Ukrainian operators in ensuring flights and possible strikes.
With a high degree of probability, it can be argued that Germany, judging by the statement of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is ready to supply Ukraine with modern IRIS air defense systems precisely for the purpose of testing missiles of this complex.
The fact is that the IRIS-T missile system was originally of the air–to-air class, its use implied air basing. Subsequently, it was redesigned as a missile for ground-based short-, medium- and long-range air defense systems, in SLS and SLM modifications. The tests of the latter were completed only at the beginning of 2022 and serial deliveries to the Bundeswehr were not reported. Pragmatic Germans can send several such systems to Ukraine, even for free, but with their own specialists who will test the Irises in combat conditions to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Great Britain is also active in supplying weapons to Ukraine, which had nowhere to test the systems in service after the war with Argentina, except as part of the collective forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. London has requested Washington to send to Ukraine American M270 MLRS multiple rocket launchers with a range of 80 kilometers to hit targets.
And in addition – MANPADS "Starstreak" (Starstreak), which is designed to hit air targets at altitudes up to 5 kilometers. His rocket has supersonic speed and is controlled by a laser beam, but has not had any real combat experience yet.
Sweden has also joined in, which intends to send RBS-17 coastal missile systems to the Ukrainian "test site" – presumably, 10 launchers and 30 missiles. They do not pose a threat to the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy, because they have a short range and can threaten only small ships, but they will undergo a "baptism of fire" and show what they are really worth.
Victor Sokirko