Ukraine cripples key Russian air defence with precision HIMARS strike

The Ukrainian army has destroyed another system that could obstruct the free movement of F-16 fighters, which will soon reach the front. In the Luhansk region, the HIMARS, often called the "god of war," precisely struck the Russian Pantsir-S1 air defence system.

Russians are losing more and more anti-aircraft defence equipment. Not long ago, military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko calculated that the Russian Federation currently has about 100 divisions of S-300/400 complexes, far less than the aggressor's army truly needs.

Losses of such weapons are currently excruciating for the Russians, especially given the upcoming appearance of the long-awaited F-16 aircraft over Ukraine. Without adequate air defence, the Russians will be defenceless.

Therefore, it is not surprising that defenders constantly hunt for any tools the Russian army uses to combat air threats. One of the latest destructions was eliminating the Luhansk region at the beginning of this week's Pantsir-S1 system. Often referred to as the "god of war," the HIMARS is responsible for its destruction.

The Russian Pantsir-S1, destroyed by the Ukrainians, is a weapon capable of intercepting virtually all fast-moving airborne objects, including aircraft, helicopters, and missiles. The complex is adapted to track up to 12 objects within a range of 19 kilometres and at altitudes of up to 14 kilometres, which is why this system is chosen to defend the most important objects in the Russian Federation, primarily critical infrastructure and government buildings.

The Pantsir-S1 is equipped with 12 57E6 missiles, each capable of firing at two targets simultaneously. Additionally, the vehicle houses two 30 mm 2A38 automatic cannons, each with a range of 4 kilometres and a firing rate of 2,500 rounds per minute.

The Ukrainian attack used the M142 HIMARS, an American artillery system produced since 2003. Designed as a more affordable and mobile counterpart to the M270 MLRS system, the HIMARS measures 7 meters in length, 2.5 meters in width, 3 meters in height and weighs just over 16,000 kilograms. This makes it highly mobile and can be transported on airplanes and land. The propulsion unit accelerates it to nearly 100 kilometres per hour, and its maximum range reaches 500 kilometres.

This American system's armament used in Ukraine includes a set of six 227 mm GMLRS rockets with a range of 84 kilometres or one MGM-140 ATACMS missile with 300 kilometres. The latter has recently been increasingly used, especially in Crimea, where Ukrainians primarily target Russian S-300/400 complexes.