The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Military News > Army

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-01-2022, 02:22 PM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,785
Arrow What is HIMARS? An army artillery officer breaks down the US Rocket Systems

WHAT IS HIMARS? AN ARMY ARTILLERY OFFICER BREAKS DOWN THE US ROCKET SYSTEMS HEADED TO UKRAINE
By: Hannah Ray Lambert - Coffee or Die News - 05-01-22
Re: https://coffeeordie.com/himars-rocket-system-ukraine/

1st Photo link: https://coffeeordie.com/wp-content/u...06/5027036.jpg
Soldiers assigned to the 65th Field Artillery Brigade fire a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) during a joint live-fire exercise with the Kuwait Land Forces, Jan. 8, 2019, near Camp Buehring, Kuwait. The US will send an undisclosed number of HIMARS to Ukraine as the Russian invasion enters its fourth month. US Army photo by Sgt. Bill Boecker.

The Department of Defense confirmed Wednesday, June 1, that the US would send advanced High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, to Ukraine as part of its latest security package. The systems, which can fire multiple long-range artillery rockets in a matter of seconds, should allow Ukrainian forces to better strike key targets on the battlefield, a senior Army officer with more than 20 years of experience commanding field artillery units told Coffee or Die Magazine.

“It’s not going to change the whole course of the war, but it will create some significant new challenges for the Russian attack,” the officer said.

President Joe Biden hinted at the announcement Tuesday in an op-ed in The New York Times, writing that America’s goal is “a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against further aggression.”

The US government’s latest pledge of $700 million worth of military aid, announced Wednesday, includes the rocket systems, according to the Department of Defense. The DOD did not specify how many of the systems would be sent to Ukraine, nor what kind of missiles would accompany them.

Ukrainian officials have asked for the weapons for weeks, but US officials worried that providing Ukraine with long-range weapons might end with Ukrainian forces firing rockets into Russia, provoking retaliation from the Kremlin against the US.

“We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders,” the president wrote in his op-ed. “We do not seek a war between NATO and Russia.”

2nd photo link: https://coffeeordie.com/wp-content/u...-1-768x512.jpg
Marines load rockets into a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems during a training exercise on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The Department of Defense confirmed that the US would send Ukraine an unspecified number of the rocket systems, along with munitions capable of striking targets around 43 miles away. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin X. Toledo.

A Pentagon spokesperson told reporters Wednesday that Ukraine promised not to use the HIMARS to launch rockets into Russia.

Developed by the US in a partnership with other NATO countries and manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the HIMARS is a mobile rocket launcher that can strike targets between 40 and 300 miles away, depending on the type of missiles it is outfitted with. It typically carries a six-pack of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) missiles or one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile.

The US seems most likely to be sending the GMLRS missiles, since the Pentagon spokesperson told reporters the rockets would be precision-guided and have a range of around 43 miles. That type of system could significantly increase Ukrainian forces’ reach on the battlefield. Currently, Ukrainian troops are using single-tube artillery cannons like the US M777 howitzer, which generally have a range between 18 and 25 miles and fire both fewer and smaller projectiles than the GMLRS rockets.

“On the one hand, this system gives the Ukrainians more range so they can reach targets farther away and from a safer position,” the Army officer told Coffee or Die Magazine. “And on the other hand, the system is designed to shoot the rockets and then very quickly move to a different location. So as opposed to having it sit out in the open where it might be observed by a drone or even just soldiers on the ground, it can move out quickly, establish its position so it can shoot accurately, and then just as quickly move back into the woods or somewhere before the enemy can react and shoot it.”

3rd photo link: https://coffeeordie.com/wp-content/u...04-768x512.jpg
A soldier reloads a High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems April 9, 2019, at Fort Drum, New York. US Army photo by Pfc. Gregory W. Muenchow.

As Russia increasingly adopts a strategy of pounding Ukrainian positions with its own rockets and artillery before slowly moving troops forward, the HIMARS will give Ukrainian forces a chance to shoot back.

“So they can potentially survive that initial barrage of artillery because they can have their rocket launchers beyond [Russian forces’] range,” the Army officer said. “Then, as the masses of ground forces move forward, they can counterattack with their own artillery to disrupt those attacks, as opposed to having to basically retreat in the face of this overwhelming force.”

Russian forces, he said, might then have to accept that they suffer more casualties and lose more of their own rocket and artillery systems because they’re at risk of counterattack from the HIMARS.

4th photo link: https://coffeeordie.com/wp-content/u...03-768x512.jpg
Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems missiles are launched from a HIMARS at Twentynine Palms, California. The US has promised to send Ukraine a number of the rocket systems, which can eliminate enemy positions with extreme accuracy. US Marine Corps photo by Pfc. William Chockey.

In addition to the rocket systems, the newest Ukraine security assistance package includes thousands more weapons and supplies:

* Five counterartillery radars.
* Two air surveillance radars.
* 1,000 Javelins and 50 Command Launch Units.
* 6,000 anti-armor weapons.
* 15,000 155mm artillery rounds.
* Four Mi-17 helicopters.
* 15 tactical vehicles.
+ Spare parts and equipment.

The US has now committed about $4.6 billion to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal note: I can only hope they vote them into NATO or much of this
will not feel or taste good. The Russian's need their ass kicked and so much
so that it hurts. Putin must be taken out of office before the nukes start
to fly. This is far from being anywhere near over - I fear its going to only
get worse - that's just my thoughts on this invasion. The ramifications
are [such that if don't win and get them in NATO ] it means that monies
invested are being tossed to wind - when it could be used elsewhere.
I
feel bad for the Ukraine's but unless we stick to it - to the very end
[and hopefully that will be sooner than later] it's going to cost a bundle
of tax payers money - and "we" will end up paying for it in the long
as usual.
-
What we give away we have to resupply - and of couse tax payer's
will be picking up that tab as well. I don't care whose in office when
its over - the piggy bank will be far lower then - and maybe for
sometime to go - inflation is already killing us - what's next?
-
Just thing 4.6 Billion could fix our countries electric grid which could
fail at any time. Isn't that a VERY IMPORTANT issue!? Has it even
started. A Nation wide power outage will be the 'dark ages' for
some time I hear to be fixed. Better get started on it - AND SOON!
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.