The Russian occupiers failed to destroy a single HIMARS missile launcher, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine quickly learned to use the system effectively on the battlefield.
The Major General, Andriy Kovalchuk, commander of the "South" Operational Command, told about this in an interview with Tabletmag.
"Even the Americans were surprised by how effectively we used the systems — every missile hit the target, destroying bridges and ammunition depots. Our allies have also seen enormous economic efficiency in the way we use missiles," Kovalchuk noted.
According to him, each HIMARS missile launched destroys targets that cost an order of magnitude more than the price of the missile itself.
About HIMARS
Each HIMARS installation fires six high-precision missiles with a range of up to 80 kilometers (twice that of M777 howitzers), allowing them to strike Russian command posts, ammunition and fuel depots, as well as troop concentrations in the rear. These missile launchers are also smaller and more maneuverable, helping them hide from enemy reconnaissance. Crews work inside an armored cabin. And they are fast: they can launch missiles two or three minutes after parking and move again 20 seconds after firing.
Each missile costs $155 000, so the Ukrainian military focuses its firepower on important targets, such as military headquarters, weapons depots and barracks, rather than on individual Russian tanks or artillery systems. In this way, they expect to force the Kremlin to withdraw assets from the front line, which will further complicate the already strained logistics of the occupiers.
- The day before, four more American HIMARS rocket launcher systems arrived in Ukraine. Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine have 16 such systems.