The transfer to Ukraine of the NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system (SAM), developed by the Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace in cooperation with the American company Raytheon Technologies, marks the beginning of the transition of Ukrainian missile forces from the Russian S-300. systems to Western-style air defense systems / air defense systems.
The combat use and operation of Russian anti-aircraft missile weapons in Ukrainian air defense units and formations is becoming more and more difficult with each passing day. Stocks of anti-aircraft guided missiles are running out (and there is no own production in Ukraine), the necessary spare parts, tools and accessories are running out.
Transferred samples are not old equipment, as you often hear, but the latest and their potential cannot be ignored.
The same NASAMS is currently used to protect airspace over the White House and Pentagon, which speaks more clearly to the trust of the US military and politicians in this system. Among the foreign buyers of these air defense systems are Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Lithuania. Hungary and India have recently joined them.
This air defense system has good performance characteristics. In particular, the far limit of the NASAMS affected area reaches 40 km, the lower limit is 0.03 km, the upper limit is 16 km. The probability of hitting a target with a missile is 0.85. The transition time from combat to marching position is 3 minutes.
It is not far behind the United States and other NATO countries. For example, the Spanish Ministry of Defense is already completing the delivery to Kiev of the battery of the Aspide short-range anti-aircraft missile system, which the Spanish army has replaced with another more advanced NASAMS II system.
The Skyguard Aspide system is Italian-Swiss made. Previously, the missile division was produced under the leading role of the Italian company Selenia, which became part of Alenia Aeronautica, which became part of the Italian branch of the European Union MBDA. With a mass of 228 kg and a length of 3.63 m, the Aspide Mk 1 rocket has an official firing range of up to 20-25 km and an altitude reach of up to 8 km.
As for the recent statements of the Spanish press (La Vanguardia newspaper) about the “impossibility of transferring the Patriot systems to Ukraine”, it seems strange that at least the possible decisions of Washington were voiced by Madrid.
In particular, the publication La Vanguardia notes that the operation and combat use of the Patriot air defense system requires the presence of “highly qualified specialists” in Ukraine. In this logic, it is necessary to assume that similar work with NASAMS air defense systems does not require highly qualified specialists. This, of course, is stupidity and nonsense.
And finally, the main thing is that when some sources indicate the absolute impossibility of transferring certain types of weapons, military and special equipment to Ukraine, such assessments should be treated very carefully and not make long-term calculations and forecasts. in this respect.
In this case, the example of Germany should always be guided. In a fairly short time in Berlin they radically changed their policy regarding the supply of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine.
If at the beginning of the special operation it was said that Germany will transfer only non-lethal equipment (helmets, body armor) to the Ukrainian armed forces, now the consumables include Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers and spare parts for them. , unmanned aerial vehicles, armored personnel carriers, Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, multiple launch rocket systems M270 in the MARS version.
Deliveries of the Patriot complex to Ukraine are quite real. And this is a defeat height of up to 20 km and a range of up to 100 km. This is a serious threat to Russian aircraft.
The author’s view may not coincide with the editors’ position.
Author biography:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military observer of socialbites.ca, a retired colonel.
Graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-aircraft Missile School (1976),
Air Defense Military Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile battalion (1980–1983).
Deputy commander of an anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior officer of the Air Defense Forces Main Staff (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000–2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010–2015).