The US has sent an obsolete, shorter-ranged version
LEWIS PAGE 18 October 2023 •
Yesterday, the freedom-loving world was greatly cheered to hear that US President Joe Biden had finally overcome his fears and supplied the embattled Ukrainians with the war-winning weapon they have been requesting pretty much since the invasion began: the Army Tactical Missile System, ATACMS. And it’s true, some ATACMS have been supplied. Sadly, however, they are a long-obsolete early version with barely half the range of a proper ATACMS and a comparatively feeble warhead.
To be precise, the version supplied is the M39 or Block I, which has a range of only 165km, as opposed to 300km for any other ATACMS variant. This range has been confirmed by the Pentagon to US media, so we can be sure which weapon we are talking about. This is actually considerably less than the range of Storm Shadow (aka SCALP) cruise missiles already supplied by the UK and France. Worse, the M39’s warhead is a cluster munition, meaning that it scatters large numbers of small bomblets rather than making one big bang. Cluster bomblets can be highly effective against suitable targets, for instance troops or vehicles or parked aircraft in the open, but they aren’t good for destroying major structures or bunkers.
The short range of the M39 would account for the fact that the only Russian aircraft so far reported destroyed are attack helicopters, which need to be based nearer the front line than jets – in Berdyansk, in this case. The M39 cannot reach Saky, the main Russian airbase in Crimea, and it cannot reach the naval base of Sevastopol, already rendered largely untenable by Storm Shadow / SCALP strikes. Perhaps most significantly, the M39 ATACMS cannot reach the Kerch bridges and so cut one of Russia’s vital supply lines. In fact, the M39 ATACMS cannot do pretty much anything the Ukrainians wanted ATACMS for. It can strike anywhere in the occupied “land bridge” from Crimea to Russia, but Ukraine could already do that.
Even if it could reach Kerch, the M39’s cluster warhead would be unlikely to have much effect on the bridges. It will also struggle to have much effect on Russian field headquarters, likely to be in deep bunkers. Last year’s breakthrough offensive by Ukraine was largely enabled by strikes on Russian HQs, in that case mostly by Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System weapons fired from the Himars vehicle.
There is one point in favour of the M39: as a supersonic ballistic weapon it is considerably harder for the Russians to shoot down than subsonic cruise jobs like the Storm Shadow or the huge variety of one-way-attack drones employed by both sides. All in all, however, the M39 ATACMS is no more than an incremental improvement to Ukrainian capability. It’s nothing like the war-winner that proper, 300-km weapons with unitary bunker-busting warheads would be.
Sadly, it seems, Joe Biden has yet to pluck up his courage. Braver politicians in Britain and yes, even France, do not have ATACMS to give: only the comparatively unwieldy, easily shot down Storm Shadow/SCALP, which is only available in limited numbers and which isn’t a good bridge-buster due to the type of fuse it has. Germany is reportedly unwilling to supply its Taurus, otherwise very similar to the Storm Shadow, because it uses a more sophisticated fuse and could indeed take out the Kerch bridges.
Even with the arrival of F-16 jets at some point in the future, it is beginning to seem all too probable that the jets will not be equipped with a full array of weapons. It would seem that the West will continue to arm the Ukrainians well enough that they can keep fighting and dying, but not well enough that they can actually win.
Vladimir Putin has managed to frighten Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz into backing down. Shame on them.
Biden, a traitor to Ukraine, as he was with Obama in 2014 when Putin invaded Crimea
More blabber from Mr. Unity is power. Anything in Article 2 that says a president can do whatever he wants? You went to the U.S. in 2016 when you left the ATO and the service?
Keep pounding your American left wing BS. In 2014, you were absent, correct? Now you want to be part of us Ukrainians. LOL
You are a liar, you never fired a javelin, so why should anyone believe any of your useless regurgitated banter.
It’d be like me asking where you were in 2001 putz.
I’ve told you several times I’m not Ukrainian. All the regulars here know also, I never made any claims to be. If you’re referring to my new picture I thought it was really cool and a way to show my CONTINUED support.
Nothing wrong with having an avatar to show support. I have a Ukrainian avatar even though I’m English.
😎👍
Amen.
How is the author suggesting Scalp/Storm Shadow are “easily shot down”? Although the ATACMS is base cluster version, more ATACMS are coming in the future if not already in Ukraine, and when time is right AFU will skillfully wield them also.
I hope you’re right.
Like the HIMARS Biden sent Ukraine, which were found out in the battlefield, they were not the long range HIMARS promised. lol
As if they didn’t know when they got them. If you really had got a hold of a javelin you prob would have tried to light a camp fire with it rofl.
White Christian lives are of no value it seems. I’m neither shocked nor surprised. What a disgusting betrayal! 😤
What are you talking about. You think there are no Christians in Israel? Unbelievable.
Yes there are. Palestinians.
Haven’t you ever heard of Messianic Jews, or the fact that there is a Christian Quarter in Jerusalem, as well as millions of Christians that travel there every year? But yes some ‘Palestinians’ are Christian as well.
I don’t know how many villages in the United States are named Palestine, founded by Christian refugees from Palestine. Anyway, fact is that Whites are in a process of genocide, in particular in Western Europe. I understand you don’t like my explicit comments because you are maybe jewish. I value jewish people and condemn the horrible Holocaust they were suffering. But all ethnic groups have their own survival instincts, concerning culture, religion and harmony. White folks were abandoned thanks to Hitler. We must be respectful towards others but never give up ourselves.
If condoning white supremacy, and Immersing yourself in the
writings of hitler, I doubt either is very conducive to respecting others. So now you think I’m a German Jew eh? Wow you really take the cake. You do have some great thoughts from time to time but for the most part I find you nonsensical and offensive.
That is your opinion and i fully respect it. I’m not trying to be everybody’s darling. But aren’t you an egoist fencing off our interests while openly defending yours. Anyway, stay cool, have a beer and don’t reply to me no more.
Fencing off your interests? Care to explain yourself before you drop the mic.
Drop the ‘mike’. 😁
White Christians have the same right to live in their cultural environment as do muslims and jews. We are fighting for our own independence and territories as do the israelis. Before the islamic hordes invaded Europe the world was harmonic and wealthy. Now Europe is like the Middle East, a ticking time bomb. The globalists wanted more than they can handle. It will become a mess.
Yeah no pun intended, free to express your views but you didn’t answer the question nor do I see how you figure was being egoistical. All I see in what you wrote is your attempt to justify your disrespect of others.
Okay. I will try for the last time. Would you agree that all immigrants guilty of violent/sexual crimes will be deported instantly and naturalized be stripped of our citizenship?
If they legally have citizenship then the courts should decide according to law the punishment. If no citizenship then deport immediately.
Let’s stop this feud. My ex was half-jewish and i was applauding Ajax Amsterdam in the F-side in the Amsterdam Arena 15 years ago. I need to go to work now. Have a good night, bro!
I don’t see what that has to do with anything, but will bury shepherd’s axe. Laters.
You don’t get to tell me what to do Mike.
Good.
Get the old hair-sniffing sack of fleas out of Washington and bring a young agile candidate from Dixie who has a SPINE! Fucking shit!