Identify and name the "treasures" in Ukraine's hands. If the West "nods", it will certainly make things happen.

Ukraine has and will be able to possess many important Western weapons, but is still trying to convince them to agree to use them to attack deep into Russian territory, with the hope of changing the situation of the conflict.

A series of recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets have been attributed to the US-funded Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). (Source: AFP)

ATACMS is effective and Storm Shadow is formidable

The Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (VSU) have received a number of Western long-range missile systems, but with the requirement that they "not be used to strike targets deep inside Russian territory." Ukraine is now actively demanding that the West lift this restriction.

Important weapons include the US ground-launched ATACMS ballistic missile and the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missile, which will be delivered to Kiev from 2023.

Below are the specifications, features and values ​​of the long-range missile systems that the West is supplying to Ukraine:

First, the US ATACMS is a solid-fuel, surface-to-surface tactical missile developed by Lockheed Martin in the 1980s but only put into use after the Cold War ended in 1991.

ATACMS is an improved version of the MGM-140, MGM-164 and MGM-168 (in the launch containers they are marked as M39, M48 and M57). The “infantry” version is launched from the M270 MLRS, as well as the M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). The first four launchers were officially transferred to Ukraine at the end of June 2022 for use with other missiles.

The ATACMS MGM-168 variant, introduced into service with the US Army in 2001, carries a WDU-18/B high-explosive fragmentation warhead. The range of this version is 300 km. The MGM-164 has been in service since 2004. Its warhead is also a WDU-18/B high-explosive fragmentation warhead, has a range of 300 km, a “hybrid” guidance system (inertial and GPS) and more than 500 missiles have been produced.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the first delivery of secret short-range ATACMS missiles to Kiev, the model of which was not specified, took place in the fall of 2023.

The second is the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP. This is a stealthy long-range cruise missile. The British Storm Shadow has been in development since 1994 by British Aerospace, while the French equivalent, the SCALP-EG, is being developed by Matra.

Unlike the ATACMS, this air-launched missile is an “air-to-surface” missile, so it is delivered by a fighter aircraft. It was originally adapted for use on the British Tornado fighter jet, as well as the French Rafale and Mirage 2000.

The difference between the British and French versions of the missile is the integration of the aircraft. For example, the 2015 Storm Shadow was integrated into the European Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet. However, no such aircraft is in service with the Ukrainian Air Force. And the first US-made F-16s were delivered to Kiev last August, a year after receiving the first Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles.

Therefore, over time, they have been integrated into the Soviet Su-24 bombers of the VSU.

The Ukrainian army has possessed these missiles with a minimum range of 250 km since August 2023.

Germany's Taurus long-range cruise missile. (Source: AFP)

Taurus is agile and JASSM is penetrating

Third is the German Taurus. This is a cruise missile developed and manufactured by Taurus Systems GmbH.

Since 1994, Taurus has been developed on the basis of the Swedish DWS39 cluster bomb (put into use in 1995).

Taurus has been in use since 2005. This missile has the same attack targets and functions as the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP, which are command posts, bunkers, airports and runways, port infrastructure...

This weapon has several versions that differ in range and warhead used. In the “basic” Taurus KEPD 350, the Williams P8300-15 engine helps the missile fly 500 km.

Warhead weight is similar to Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG - about 480 kg. Warhead is a two-stage parallel MEPHISTO for destroying underground targets, bunkers and structures. Guidance system is “hybrid” (inertial and GPS).

Taurus KEPD 350 is integrated for use on many types of fighter aircraft such as: Panavia PA-200 Tornado IDS and Eurofighter Typhoon EF-2000 of Europe, Saab JAS-39C Gripen of Sweden, F-15K and F/A-18A of the US.

A Taurus KEPD 350 missile costs about $1 million. Germany has about 600 of these missiles, adapted for the Panavia PA-200 Tornado IDS and the Eurofighter Typhoon EF-2000. Spain has 45 missiles, and South Korea has more than 250 (used for the F-15K fighter).

Ukraine repeatedly requested the German government to transfer the Taurus missiles, but they were refused. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly explained that he does not want the conflict to escalate, despite criticism from within the government and parliament. In February 2024, the German parliament voted overwhelmingly against the transfer of the Taurus to the VSU.

Fourth is the American JASSM (which may be transferred). This is a low-altitude cruise missile, developed by Lockheed Martin since 1995 and started production in 1998.

The range of the AGM-158A missile with the Teledyne CAE J402-CA-100 engine is 370 km, with the JASSM-ER version using the Williams F107-WR-105 engine, the range is up to 980 km.

The missile warhead has a weight similar to the above-mentioned missiles and is also used against bunkers and underground targets: the WDU-42/B penetrating warhead (weighing about 450 kg).

“Hybrid” navigation system: Inertial plus corrections based on GPS data and terrain measurements (i.e. based on a “digitized” map of the area).

Overall, the missile's characteristics can be called similar to the Storm Shadow/SCALP, but with the upgrade, it has twice the range and probably less penetration power than them. A JASSM missile, depending on the configuration, can cost between $900,000 and $1.5 million.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/diem-mat-chi-ten-nhung-vat-bau-trong-tay-ukraine-chi-can-phuong-tay-gat-dau-chac-chan-se-lam-nen-chuyen-289385.html