April 18, 2024
People have forgotten the insane density (and cost) of NATO’s Cold War SAM belts. In Germany alone the HAWK belt consisted of 91 (!) HAWK sites, each of which was filled with radars and missile launchers.
Between the SAM belt and the border mobile radars, and short range air defense systems like Gepard, Roland, Chaparral, VADS, etc. as well as mobile Javelin and Stinger teams covered the units operating there.
And behind the HAWK SAM (Surface to Air Missile) belt followed a second SAM belt, with long range NIKE HERCULES missiles, which carried nuclear warheads. All this was backed up by German, US Air Force, British, Dutch, Belgian, and Canadian air bases, with 2,000+ fighter jets.
In 1980s the HAWKs were replaced with Patriot systems, which carried more missiles with greater range and were mobile. Around 100 Patriot fire units were planned to be acquired for Germany’s defense alone.
In Germany the NATO SAM belts had an approximate length of 800km. A Ukrainian SAM belt would have a length of about 1,600km.
So even if Ukraine receives 7× more Patriot systems, then only key cities can be protected – not the entire country and no cities close to the Russian border.
Kharkiv, Sumy, Shostka are too close to the border with Russia or in case of Zaporizhzhia is too close to the front for deploying a Patriot system as Russia’s Smerch rockets can deliver cluster munitions up to 90km.
Ukraine NEEDS more Patriot batteries, and modern fighter jets, and medium range systems like NASAMS, and IRIS-T, and short range systems like Gepard and Skyranger, but due to the size of Ukraine (and the lack of air defense systems in the West) there is no chance to protect all of Ukraine from Russian missile attacks.
The only way to do that is to help Ukraine strike at Russian missile and drone factories, and Russian air bases and missile sites INSIDE Russia.
If we want to save cities like Kharkiv, then Ukraine must be given offensive weapons – and a lot.
By Thomas C. Theiner
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Comment from :
The cold war ground based air defense was indeed very impressive. It was a time of highly interoperable, layered air defense systems, operational 24/7. With the capability to switch within seconds from national control to multinational combined air defense. With non-announced, random tests of operational readiness by special trained inspection teams. With very sheltered and protected “Luftkampfführungsanlagen” on different levels. Sad to see what we have today: Neither the military knowhow nor the actual AD weapon systems nor the needed AD staffing nor the political will to change the situation. We indeed have a very long way to go.
Ufficiale militare presso Brigata Paracadutisti Folgore
Ukraine has air defense systems that are capable of shooting down Russian 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash said on March 27.
His statement came after claims that Russian troops had used Zircon ballistic missiles in a March 25 attack on Kyiv, injuring at least two people. The researchers continue to examine the debris to determine what type of missile was launched.
The speed of the Zircon missile is approximately 8-9 Mach or about 10,000 kilometers per hour. When it enters the strike trajectory, its speed drops to about Mach 4.5, according to Yevlash.
“At this moment, we can use our anti-ballistic systems. These are SAMP/T, Patriot, which can inflict powerful damage and shoot down even such weapons,” the spokesperson said.
Yevlash did not rule out that Russia could test Ukraine’s air defense system by using Zircon, or its use could indicate a shortage of other Russian missiles.
Russia reportedly attacked Ukraine with a 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 7, killing at least five and injuring over 50 people.
Moscow earlier said the Zircon hypersonic missile entered the arsenal of the Russian military in early 2023, claiming that it has a range of 600–1,500 kilometers, can travel at nine times the speed of sound, and has a warhead weighing about 300-400 kilograms.
Photo: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images
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Another post from Denis :
April 28, 2024
Italy, together with France and Great Britain, supply Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles to Ukraine, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps reveals.
“I think the Storm Shadow is an extraordinary weapon. Great Britain, France and Italy are preparing these weapons for use, in particular in the occupied Crimea.”
Italy and Ukraine have not confirmed this information.
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And one more. Also from today :
There are already less than 45 specified days left to develop a strategy to combat Russian aggression, time will still be required for implementation
But it is now clear that in the presence of ATACMS missiles, it will be very difficult for Russia to maintain command posts, artillery and logistics throughout the territory of occupied Ukraine.
Something will need to be moved to a safe distance of more than 300 km from the front line, that is, moved to Russian territory.
A logistic transport loaded manually, which also takes time, will have to cover a distance of more than 300 km to the front at an average speed of about 20-30 km/h, unload manually and again travel an infinitely long time back.
Although in this case it is even better to leave the trucks unloaded, because in this situation it will be possible to save some of the ammunition while retreating along with the trucks, otherwise you will have to leave the ammunition on the ground. But the number of trucks is not infinite; what should you use to get to the depot? In addition, the number of trucks is constantly decreasing.
The limited numbers are only one problem. The other one is the attitude of the so-called allies who refuse to send their systems to Ukraine, or only a part of them.