Russian jammers render US rocket launchers useless in Ukraine

Ukraine has stopped using the US-supplied M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) because Russia can now block it. Ukrainian forces have called these systems “completely ineffective.”

The Russian jamming system would operate from the ground and could project a “cone” of electronic warfare interference into the sky. This prevents weapons from communicating with satellites to guide them to their targets.

HIMARS can destroy targets up to 300 km away, but Russia's new electronic warfare (EW) capabilities disable their targeting systems. This means the system often misses its target by up to 50 feet (15 meters). This news comes from a confidential assessment of Ukrainian weapons obtained by The post office.

It details how Ukraine was forced to stop using many Western-supplied weapons due to targeting issues. The report also states that Excalibur GPS-guided artillery shells are also being adversely affected by new Russian electronic warfare systems.

Russia can now counter HIMARS

The United States began supplying Ukraine with HIMARS systems very early in the conflict. If reports are to be believed, the system was initially very effective.

For the uninitiated, HIMARS is a truck-mounted rocket launcher capable of firing a range of different munitions, including GPS-guided missiles. Its mobility and flexibility make it a very effective weapon in a rapidly evolving conflict, such as Ukraine, Afghanistan and the Syrian Civil War.

First deployed in 2010, it can be quickly repositioned to respond to changing battlefield circumstances, and its precision-guided missiles can strike targets with incredible accuracy. At least until adversaries like Russia find a way to disrupt these systems.

The assessment said Ukraine stopped using Excalibur shells last year after the weapon “lost its potential” and fell to just 10 percent effectiveness. U.S. officials and defense contractors are currently investigating the cause and trying to find a solution to counter Russian electronic warfare jamming.

The United States is currently working on a fix

“We are working closely with the Pentagon on these issues. In case of technical problems, we promptly inform our partners so that they take the necessary measures to resolve them as soon as possible,” said a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The post office.

“Our partners in the United States and other Western countries provide constant support for our requests. In particular, we regularly receive recommendations to improve the equipment,” they add.

Other systems, such as the British Storm Shadow missile and the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), are less vulnerable to jamming. Russia also managed to disrupt the Starlink satellite network, which Ukrainian troops rely on for their Internet connection.

The situation has become so serious that Ukrainian forces have experienced significant outages in recent weeks as Russia ramps up its electronic warfare capabilities. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's digital minister, said in an interview last week that Starlink had previously resisted Russian jamming, but its technology now appears to have become more sophisticated.

He said Putin's forces had “tested different mechanisms to disrupt the quality of Starlink connections” using “powerful” electronic weapons.