Russian special forces are obliged to destroy HIMARS systems

Ukraine is carrying out terrorist attacks on settlements occupied by Russian troops. The main striking means for this are the American HIMARS rocket launchers recently delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. What are the features of this type of weapon, how is it most dangerous – and in what way is the Russian army able to destroy it?

In recent weeks, there have been many reports about the use of American multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) HIMARS by the APU. Strikes are being carried out both on the objects of the DPR and the LPR, and on the objects of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. These systems, whose deliveries from the United States to Ukraine began in June, according to various sources, were used to bombard Zmeiny Island, as well as facilities in Melitopol, Svatov, Izyum, Perevalsk, Stakhanov, Novaya Kakhovka, Donetsk and Snezhny. The Pentagon claims: "We are watching how Ukrainians use HIMARS, and we see that they have significant success in their application."

The use of MLRS HIMARS is confirmed, among other things, by LDPR officials. In particular, the representative office of the LPR in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire regime reported that the Ukrainian military used HIMARS MLRS during the shelling of Perevalsk. This is evidenced by fragments of a 240 mm GMLRS M30 guided missile with a cluster warhead found at the site of the shelling. In addition, Lugansk was shelled with the same systems as recently as July 13.

HIMARS MLRS belong to the category of high-precision weapons and are quite capable of delivering such strikes. HIMARS fires GPS-guided missiles, providing a circular probable deviation of less than 7 meters when hit (that is, one of the two missiles hits a circle of 7 meters). When the target size is doubled, the probability of hitting is 93%.

It is worth considering the power of the ammunition used. It was reported that M30A1, M31 and M31A1 missiles were delivered to Ukraine. The first of them, the M30A1, has a warhead filled with more than 160 thousand tungsten balls. It explodes over the target, and tungsten shrapnel flies at a speed of 3600 km/h, causing heavy losses to manpower and lightly armored vehicles. The M31 and M31A1 missiles carry a 90-kilogram high-explosive fragmentation charge. Such shoot at buildings and equipment.

Equally important should be considered reports on who and how in Ukraine provides intelligence and targeting for the HIMARS MLRS. According to the hacker group RaHDlt, American intelligence supplies the APU with satellite images of Russian objects, including cities of the Russian Federation. Also, the American "partners" supply the APU with the data of their agent, radio and radio intelligence. There is a high probability of actions by the AFU MTR groups to scout targets in the Russian rear and target weapons.

HIMARS missiles have an inertial guidance system, and they are capable of reaching any target at coordinates that can be issued by the US satellite grouping, which, in fact, is happening. HIMARS are equipped with a special communication unit for transmitting this data. There is a possibility to believe that American specialists capable of carrying out their transfer are also present on the territory of Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry also claims about the covert work of American instructors in Ukraine.

The relative success of Ukraine's use of these systems at the moment is due to a number of reasons, among which, for example, the method of striking itself – in the professional military environment, it was called a "sandwich". Its meaning is that the APU strikes the HIMARS MLRS together with the Soviet-designed MLRS systems with a minimum interval in the launch time. Air defense systems are sometimes technically unable to intercept all missiles.

This is told, in particular, by a source of RIA Novosti: "Several types of weapons are involved in such strikes, coordinated by the time of entry into the air defense zone. For example, the systems "Hurricane", "Tornado", "Alder", as well as corrected HIMARS missiles can be used immediately. Tactical Tochka missiles and even Tu-141/Tu-143 drones can be added to this set as additional false targets," the source explained. Basically, according to him, these are strikes on civilian objects:

But do not assume that Russian air defense systems are powerless before the HIMARS MLRS. The same source says that "HIMARS shells... they are shot down by Russian anti-aircraft missile systems in large numbers, as they have a predictable trajectory, low flight speed in the final section and are not equipped with means of overcoming air defense."

The Russian army has already shown that it is able to fight such goals. For example, on July 6, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, reported: "In the area of the settlement of Malotaranovka of the Donetsk People's Republic, two launchers of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system manufactured by the United States and two ammunition depots for them were destroyed by high-precision air-launched missiles." A few days later, the Ministry of Defense assured that "high-precision missiles... Ammunition depots for HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems supplied by the United States to Ukraine have been destroyed."

However, the enemy is increasing the number of launchers. This means that the fight against them requires a comprehensive solution, a whole series of additional measures.

Among them, in particular, effective camouflage measures are needed. There is reason to believe that until now the Russian army does not always apply them to the proper extent. It is necessary to strengthen counteraction to the enemy's electronic intelligence, which is specifically aimed at identifying important targets in the Russian rear by tracking mobile phones and conversations on them.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the security measures of headquarters and ammunition depots. To move away from centralized storage of material and technical means, to create field storage points with a limited stock.

But the main thing is that for decades there have been forces and means in the Russian army, which at one time were created specifically to combat such threats. For example, to open and destroy enemy tactical missile systems equipped with a nuclear warhead. The only type of intelligence that could detect the firing positions of these missiles and report the coordinates with shooting accuracy for their fire damage in Soviet times was the special forces of the GRU GSH, that is, special intelligence agencies. In modern conditions, however, special forces groups, if equipped with special radio communication means tied directly to the means of fire damage, are able to quickly identify the positions of MLRS launchers, OTR and other important objects of the operational and tactical level.

Due to the enlargement of the districts, they now have two special forces brigades at their disposal. This is the same Russian special Forces (SPN), which became famous in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, and other hot spots. However, for a number of organizational reasons, during the operation in Ukraine, these brigades are used in a different way. In particular, because at one time, during the next reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the special forces brigades were completely subordinated to the heads of the intelligence districts.

Before the reform, the GRU, which has now been renamed the General Directorate of the General Staff, was responsible for the organization of combat training, personnel policy, and logistics of the special forces. It was also engaged in training personnel in military schools and training units, where special forces veterans who had passed through more than one hot spot passed on their knowledge and experience. This is not the case now. GU GS supervises, supervises, and has an advisory voice in those matters where previously this voice was decisive.

At the moment, there is no open data that the SpN units are used during a special operation precisely to solve their original task – opening and destroying key enemy objects in its deep rear.

An equally important target for special forces groups is the enemy's air defense systems, which, as the daily briefings of the Ministry of Defense show, are still functioning. On the Black Sea coast, such objects are the positions of anti-ship missile complexes. Airfields and radar stations are also an object for special forces.

Perhaps we just don't know yet that the units of the SpN of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are used in Ukraine in this way. However, the fact is obvious: missiles launched with the help of HIMARS installations fall on the liberated territories almost every day. To combat this evil, Russian special forces are able to make a significant contribution.

Sergey Kozlov