Ukrainian forces intensify HIMARS strikes on Belgorod region

Ukrainians are conducting very intense shelling of Russian targets in the Belgorod region using M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers. Let's recall the performance of this system.

A photo appeared online showing dozens of used packs from GMLRS missiles (each holding six) used in M142 HIMARS or M270 MLRS systems. Hopefully, these empty packs are located in a now-unused reloading location and are said to be the result of the past few days of work by Ukrainian launchers used north of Kharkiv.

They allow for targeting logistics supplying Russian forces located, among others, in the region of Vovchansk or the village of Starytsya, where there was a large assault recently.

Both systems use GMLRS missiles, available in several versions and range up to about 80 kilometres. According to Russian sources, Ukrainians are attacking targets with two salvos. The first includes missiles with a classic high-explosive fragmentation warhead, known as "unitary," and the second with cluster warhead variants.

This method aims to maximize losses because after what seems like a concluded attack, more soldiers usually appear on the scene to minimize damage. Then, cluster warhead missiles fall on the area.

This indicates using a tandem of M31A1/A2 and M30 rockets. The first contains a 90-kilogram warhead with 23 kilograms of TNT, which can cause significant damage at the target site. For example, they can damage a building and the ammunition crates inside, and then M30 rockets fall on these exposed targets.

These, in turn, contain 404 M85 DPICM (Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) bomblets. This allows for hitting a large area with M85 bomblets weighing about 0.3 kilograms each, which can penetrate armour up to 10-13 centimetres thick and have a fragmentation radius of several meters.

The fall of such bomblets in an area with, for instance, exposed but undetonated artillery shells is disastrous. It is worth noting that Americans produced M30 missiles only for a few years as the less controversial M30A1 replaced them with Alternative Warhead missiles. This happened because cluster munitions have a high dud rate, posing post-war problems.

All GMLRS family rockets have prevalent guidance systems based on inertial and satellite navigation. These systems are simple and effective for achieving accuracy within a few meters, though not without flaws.

Suppose the opponent can jam the GPS signal, as the Russians can. In that case, the accuracy decreases and worsens with distance because inertial navigation always has an error margin accumulating over time and distance.

The problem is not as severe for a distance of a few tens of kilometres, as the warhead of GMLRS missiles is powerful enough even if it misses by a few meters, but it becomes an issue for GLSDB missiles with twice the range and identical destructive power.