Estonia will receive long -term HIMARS. And Ukraine?

The sale of these missile systems supports U.S. foreign policy and the security of NATO allies, Washington said.

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of six HIMARS multiple rocket launchers in Estonia. The delivery also includes several types of missiles, including operational-tactical ATACMS, that hit targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. Ukraine also relies on both missiles. Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said negotiations with the United States on this issue were underway and promising. And at the National Security and Defense Council, in answer to a question about ATACMS, they promised a speedy transition from equality to Ukraine’s advantage on the battlefield. Athletistic telling details.

Neighbors in Russia bought long -term HIMARS

The U.S. Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) reported that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale of up to six M142 HIMARS missile systems and related equipment to Estonia, valued at $ 500 million.

In addition to the installations themselves, the order includes ammunition, auxiliary equipment, spare parts and technical support. The list of missiles requested by Estonia is as follows: 36 M30A2 missiles, 36 M31A2 missiles, 36 XM403 missiles and also 36 XM404, and finally 18 long-range ATACMS missiles.

Tactical ATACMS missiles are projectiles that allow firing at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. There are some changes that differ in scope and accuracy. With the help of HIMARS, you can launch one ATACMS missile, and two from the MLRS M270. The HIMARS is more mobile, so it has less firepower than the heavier monitored M270.

Washington noted that the sale of the missile systems, produced by the American company Lockheed Martin, supports U.S. foreign policy and the security of NATO allies, as well as the goals of the Estonian Defense Forces.

“There are several reasons why the choice was made in favor of HIMARS … Other Baltic countries will have the same systems. And, of course, it is important that, under its security assistance program, the United States will pay for an integral part of this order, ”said Kusti Salm, Chancellor of the Estonian Ministry of Defense.

The contract decision still needs to be approved by the U.S. Congress, but since the plan has already been approved by the State Department and the Pentagon, no surprises are expected.

“We expect to receive a draft agreement within a few weeks after the decision of Congress … The US government agreement with the manufacturer is in effect, and in fact production has already begun,” added Magnus-Valdemar Saar, director of the Estonian Defense Investment Center.

Estonia will receive long-range American systems approximately seven months after a public request for them-however, in December 2021, the Estonians announced their intention to purchase M270 monitors with long-range missiles, but the United States agreed to the sale of HIMARS.

Following Estonia, HIMARS will be received by Lithuania and Latvia. Previously, Poland ordered 500 launchers to build more than 80 batteries. Poland intends to adapt the MLRS, putting them on the chassis of its own production.

Recall that the leaders of NATO countries at the end of June agreed on a new strategic concept for the development of the alliance. It named Russia a major security threat.

ATACMS for Ukraine

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov last week gave more interviews to the British newspaper Financial Times, revealing some details and plans for Western weapons to be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine by allied countries.

He said that the number of long-range systems for Ukraine, in his opinion, will increase. We are talking about HIMARS, which has already changed the situation on the battlefield, and noted that the use of these systems, together with long-range Western artillery, has led to a reduction in losses to the Ukrainian military.

Today HIMARS are used for total burning of military bases and weapons depots of the Russian army. Every projectile destroyed by them was not only a life saved, but also great damage for the occupiers, whose military potential could not be restored under Western sanctions.

According to Reznikov, the acquisition of ATACMS ballistic missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers is the next logical step for the Pentagon, negotiations are underway. Today the Armed Forces of Ukraine uses shells that can destroy the enemy at a distance of 80 kilometers.

“I think this is a phased movement. We have evidence that we can use weapons with precision and efficiency. And we will get more and more coverage,” the minister said.

He noted that even this year there will be significant changes in favor of Ukraine on the battlefield. “I hope that this year we will see a counter-offensive campaign, and it will be successful,” Reznikov said.

Reznikov on Monday announced a phone conversation with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and announced “very good news” from the United States.

“I discussed with our very good friend Lloyd J. Austin III the upcoming Ramstein meeting: we agreed on the agenda, shared information on the control of weapons entering Ukraine, etc. Also, the head of the Pentagon had a very good time news, but details later, “Reznikov wrote on Twitter.

On July 19, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov answered in a telethon the question of when Ukraine will receive ATACMS ballistic missiles, which can be launched from the HIMARS and M270 missile systems.

“Regarding HIMARS, there is a certain understanding that we have started to receive shells sent more than at the beginning. And we hope that the ammunition with the range we need will come out on the territory of our country. , ”Said Danilov.

He also noted that from the next Ramstein-4 meeting, an actual transition from equality to the advantage of the Ukrainian army on the battlefield is expected. Moreover, today the arming process in Ukraine continues at a 24/7 pace with a permanent air bridge organized by allied states.

Ukraine, with its existing HIMARS missiles, could destroy airfields and railways in occupied Crimea, and with ATACMS, the Kerch Bridge, Defense Express expert Ivan Kirichevskiy recalls on Espresso.

“But when there was some movement … and the ATACMS systems firing at 300 kilometers fell into our hands. Obviously, the Crimean Bridge will be included in the range of these targets that HIMARS can shoot,” added the expert.

The possibility of Ukraine receiving ATACMS for HIMARS systems was also commented by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA Oksana Markarova.

According to him, since the beginning of Russia’s comprehensive war against Ukraine, all requests of the Ukrainian side for military assistance depend on the current situation on the front, as well as on understanding plans for the future. .

“We are talking to our partners, I will not go into detail here, as we say, it is better that we surprise the Russians on the battlefield with something, but we are discussing all the possibilities,” Markarova said. in a Radio interview. Liberty, published July 19.

In the meantime, a map has appeared on the network showing where Ukraine can get using ATACMS missiles.

ATACMS range 300 km missiles when fired from the frontline of Ukraine

ATACAMS will be able to reach targets throughout Ukraine even in Crimea, most of Belarus, and a significant part of Russia using M270’s and HIMARS 🇺🇦

The Crimean Bridge is in range#UkraineWar #Ukraine #HIMARS pic.twitter.com/UQmIUvBjmS

– Ukraine Battle Map (@ukraine_map) July 18, 2022

Earlier, former NATO commander General Philip Breedlove said the Ukrainian military already had the right weapons to strike the bridge, which is one of the main pillars of the Putin regime.

Breedlove noted that by attacking the bridge across the Kerch Strait using newly delivered Harpoon missiles, Ukraine could face a devastating blow to the Kremlin. He stressed that the Kerch bridge was a legitimate target.

Recall that, according to Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Dmitry Marchenko, after receiving the weapons promised by the West, the Kerch bridge will be the number one goal. The Russian leadership, in response, is threatening Ukraine and the West in every possible way with a crushing nuclear strike.

Russia’s occupation forces are carefully guarding the Crimean Bridge and protecting it with numerous air defenses, the NSDC secretary said last week.

“They’re always tense, they’re tense now because of the Crimean bridge, they’re guarding it very well there, they have training almost every day. The amount of air defense they put in place to protect this thing, let’s say, is insane.” said Danilov.

In his opinion, such a reaction of the occupiers is explained by the fact that they take seriously the weapons that the Armed Forces of Ukraine receive: “They take us very seriously, which we have never seen before. They believe that we have no troops. , no will, we have no attempt to defend our country. With this they entered on February 24, they believed that it would be as they had planned for themselves. “

Italian military expert Thomas Teiner argues that Russia’s air defense systems will not be effective against ATACMS. “S-400 batteries are … Well, they’re going to be real scrap metal,” the expert said.

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