US likely to send long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for the first time: Officials
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-send-long-range-atacms-missiles-ukraine-time/story?id=103031722Open linkView original on lemmy.mlSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on lemmy.mlhttps://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-send-long-range-atacms-missiles-ukraine-time/story?id=103031722Open linkView original on lemmy.ml
19 replies
Fucking finally. This is the exact type of thing Ukraine needs. Make sure any large ammo dump or command post within 300km of the front line ceases to exist.
Hopefully they allow Ukraine to use them against military targets in Russia as well, but, that's probably too hopeful.
Even if they don't, every one of these used more locally frees up usage of what limited stock they do have of things that can reach further.
Yeah, it's embarrassing it took this long. These could have taken out the KA-52s that have been a key part of stopping Ukraine's offensive.
How so? These ground attack missiles.
Ya, hit them on the pad.
yeah it is
us weapon system names always seem to be jokes
e.g., the AT-4 launcher is called AT-4 because the projectile it fires is an 84mm rocket, and AT-4 sounds like 84
AT-4 isn't a US weapon. Its Swedish.
It 100% is.
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it was actually a backronym
It is now.
It always was
Attac'ums, discontinued for their questionable ties to the military industrial complex. Same fate will come for Captain Crunch due to his numerous war crimes while he was in the US Navy
They should've been sent last year
Gotten my hopes up too many times. Just fucking send them already.
Excellent news, though the thumbnail makes it look like they're going to be "sent" by launching them.
The need to wait until after ammo depots within 200km of the line and the Crimean bridge disappears, then announce it as "Oh yeah, we sent ATACMS last week"...
The ATACMS should have the same problem with bridges as M270/HIMARS and SCALP/Storm Shadow. They hit the road surface, punch a hole and the explosions happens below in the open.
It might be the best if Ukraine continues their efforts with their own developments e.g. via water, as they can easily damage the pillars and foundation of the bridge. Or even lift and destroy a whole bridge segment between two pillars, as we have seen in the past.
The ATACMS will certainly be of big use for storages and hubs far behind the front lines. But as the article writes: "It could be months before Ukraine receives the missiles, according to the official."
Besides ATACMS delivery, the USA will also have to maintain their HIMARS launcher, as they were altered before delivery to be unable to launch ATACMS (source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-altered-himars-rocket-launchers-to-keep-ukraine-from-firing-missiles-into-russia-11670214338). But maybe a simple software update can be installed? There were no details mentioned how the launchers were modified.
Yes, let's escalate the war.
I wonder what USA reaction would be, if Russia send arms to Iraq after USA attack it.
Baghdad fell 3 weeks into the war, even with all of their Russian equipment and air defense.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Baghdad_(2003)
USA has been shipping Ukraine arms for the entire time and nothing happened.