WSJ: US reprogrammed HIMARS systems before transfer to Ukraine so they could not fire long-range missiles

The US modified its HIMARS rocket launcher systems before handing them over to the Ukrainian army. They were programmed so that they could not bombard Russian territory with long-range missiles.

The Wall Street Journal writes about it with reference to its own sources.

The Administration of US President Joe Biden notes that this is such a precautionary measure in order to reduce the possible risk of a war between the United States and Russia.

Since June, the United States has handed over 20 HIMARS systems and a large number of missiles to them with a range of almost 80 kilometers to the Ukrainian army. They are used to strike Russian ammunition and fuel warehouses, as well as command posts and equipment storage bases.

US officials said that the Pentagon modified these systems so that they could not launch the same ATACMS ballistic missiles with a range of 300 kilometers.

• Ukraine has created a reconnaissance drone capable of adjusting the fire of Western weapons such as HIMARS.
• On October 11, four more western HIMARS surface-to-air missiles arrived in Ukraine. Ukraine also has M270, French LRU, and German MARS II.