In Russia, the work of the American ATACMS cluster submunition was studied
Russian armament specialists have studied the internal structure and operation features of the cluster submunition of the American ballistic missile Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
The M74 submunition looks like a tennis ball with protrusions along one axis, an informed source told RIA Novosti. There are 275 of them in the rocket. After dumping, they open at a level about 200 meters from the surface. During rotation above the ground, the engine turns inside, and the detonator capsule stands in front of the drummer. Upon impact with the surface, the ammunition explodes.
In cases where the cassette opened normally, but the ammunition fell and did not work, it remains cocked. It is no longer possible to move it in this state.
specialist in working with weapons
According to the expert, tungsten fragments gain high speed during flight. The radius of their spread is about 20 meters. At the same time, some of them are able to break through a metal door even at a distance of 50 meters. "The destructive power of the fragments poses a great threat. The fall of 250 elements covers a square of 400 by 400 meters, submunitions fall about five meters from each other," the specialist added.
Earlier, Russian specialists got hold of the ATACMS guidance system
On July 1, it was reported that the guidance and flight correction system of the American tactical missile turned out to be at the disposal of domestic specialists.
They took possession of a laser gyroscope unit and a GPS module. Thus, the experts had the opportunity to study the operation of the rocket systems, as well as the possibility of correcting the flight path.
A military expert, retired Colonel Viktor Litovkin, suggested that by gaining access to the ATACMS guidance system, Russian specialists will be able to learn about the most vulnerable places of the missile.
According to him, they will study how ATACMS fly and why they fly the way they do. This will make it easier to knock them down.
Victor Litovkin
military expert
ATACMS missiles began arriving in Ukraine in 2023
ATACMS is an operational and tactical ballistic missile that can be launched from multiple rocket launchers, including the M142 HIMARS. It was developed by Lockheed Martin. ATACMS began to arrive in Ukraine in 2023. In October of the same year, Vladimir Zelensky confirmed the use of these missiles.
"They are executed very accurately — ATACMS have shown themselves," the politician said at the time.
In 2024, sources of The New York Times (NYT) reported that Kiev received more than 100 ATACMS missiles and used them against Russia. For example, ATACMS were used to attack Sevastopol on June 23. As a result of the impact, about 100 people were injured, two children and one adult could not be saved.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the delivery of long-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev another mistake by the United States. "There is nothing good for Ukraine in this sense. It just prolongs the agony," the head of state noted.
The Russian leader pointed out that the transfer of ATACMS to Kiev harms Ukraine and creates an additional threat, but Russia will be able to repel such attacks.
