The United Kingdom announced this Monday that it will proceed with the first shipment to Ukraine of a multiple rocket launcher system far above the artillery that Kyiv possesses. The M270, with a range of 80 kilometerswill be handed over to the Ukrainian authorities, although the number of units that will arrive in the territory has not been confirmed.
Ben Wallace, British defense minister, confirmed the delivery to the British television network BBC. Both Ukraine and Russia already operate MLRS systems, but Himars have superior range and accuracy. A) Yes, The rocket system will allow the Ukrainian military to “more precisely hit its key targets on the battlefield.”
Wallace clarifies that the Ukrainian military will receive training in the coming weeks in the United Kingdom to learn how to use these systemswhile underlining that London is thereby trying to deliver “the vital weapons that (Ukraine) needs to defend the country from an unprovoked invasion.”
These systems consist of a modernized version of the M142 Himars system, mounted on an agile wheeled system and lighter than the tracked version of the M270 MLRS developed in the 1970s. The Himars system will have an average range of 80 kilometers on a pre-charged battery. six 227mm guided missiles (M270s have two), or a load of ATACMS tactical missiles.
“Given the change in Russia’s tactics, our support for Ukraine must also change,” argued Wallace, who has stressed that these multiple rocket launcher systems “will allow Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery , which Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to raze cities.”
The delivery comes a week after the Biden Administration announced the shipment of these systems to Kyiv. Washington justified that it wanted to see “a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with adequate means to deter and defend itself from new aggressions.” Thus, the American president announced his decision to provide the Ukrainians advanced ammunition and rocket systems “which will allow them to attack key targets more accurately on the Ukrainian battlefield.”
Among others, the Pentagon plans to send weapons including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, powerful artillery and precision rocket systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, Mi-17 helicopters and ammunition.
Meanwhile, yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened the West with “attacking new targets if long-range weapons were sent to Ukraine.” Putin accused Western countries of prolonging the war in Ukraine with its constant arms shipments to the Ukrainian forces fighting the Russian invasionbefore warning that his country could start attacking new targets if it discovers that long-range missiles are coming into the hands of Ukrainian forces.
“All this fuss about additional arms deliveries has, in my opinion, only one goal: to prolong the armed conflict for as long as possible,” said the Russian president, who made specific reference to the shipment of MLRS multiple rocket launcher systems being prepared by the United States. United, able to reach Russian territory.
Discussion about this post