How Storm Shadow cruise missiles change nature of combat operations

Storm Shadow (nicknamed Scalp by the French) is the most modern and expensive air defense system in the UK and France, and this strategic decision opens the way for the supply of long-range precision weapons to NATO, which will allow Ukraine to strike targets deep into Russia in response to terrorist attacks by Russian Kalibr. Range up to 560 km, 450 kg warhead to hit highly protected targets, ultra-low altitude flight, stealth technology, high accuracy. This weapon is more effective than the American ATACMS ballistic missiles, which we will undoubtedly receive in the future. NATO countries have actually lifted the last restrictions and started supplying Ukraine with the most expensive and modern models of their own weapons. This means that the quality and quantity of support for Ukraine in the war is growing and will continue to grow. Russia has no chance in this arms race.

And now for the details of the strike itself, what is known from open sources and what conclusions can be drawn.

Russia did not show a full overview of the cruise missile strike. Some footage was shown from the machine-building plant, where the consequences of the losses are not visible, but Russians did not show the strike on the building of the former Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at all, and there were personnel there, and they had to suffer significant losses.

According to Russian data, the strike was carried out by only two Ukrainian aircraft - a Su-24 bomber, apparently converted to carry cruise missiles, and a Mig-29 fighter jet. Russians claim that both planes were shot down, but this is obviously another lie by Konashenkov, as it is impossible to hide the crash of combat aircraft in the central densely populated areas of Ukraine, and the very nature of the missiles and the long range of the launch makes it unlikely that the aircraft would have been spotted at all.

According to Russia, two Storm Shadow missiles hit important targets in Luhansk. This is the same weight as the warhead of a Tochka-U ballistic missile, but the power is much greater.

Another significant new factor was the use of at least two AMD-160V MALD aircraft missiles in the attack - these are special modern missiles weighing only 45 kg that simulate the flight of an airplane and cruise missile and thus activate and detect air defense radars and anti-aircraft missile systems.

The Russians did not report other missiles, but it is logical to imagine that if the AMD-160B was used, which forces the activation of Russian radars, the Ukrainian aviation would have to use its traditional new weapon, the HARM homing anti-radar missiles. That is, the May 13 attack on Luhansk was an example of the implementation of new tactics and the integrated use of precision weapons. And Russia was unable to counter this strike and cover one of its key logistics centers.

“The May 13 attack on Luhansk was an example of the implementation of new tactics and the integrated use of precision weapons. And Russia was unable to counter this strike and cover one of its key logistics centers”

Since the characteristics of the British-French Storm Shadow missile are known, we can identify these new factors:

• a new high-precision weapon with a long range of up to 290 km, which allows the Armed Forces of Ukraine to attack any objects throughout the occupied territory of Crimea and Donbas;

• cruise missiles are homing to attack and destroy not only ground targets, but also any Russian ship in Crimea and far out at sea, further limiting the already limited operational area of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea;

• use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces of modern tactics of NATO combat aviation to break through the Russian air defense system;

• a significant increase in the strike capabilities of old Soviet aircrafts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces;

• Russian air defense is focused on combating missiles moving in a ballistic trajectory, missiles such as HIMARS and Tochka, Vilkha, Smerch, Uragan, while cruise missiles and low-altitude targets, as shown by our helicopters' raid on Belgorod and strikes by drones such as Strizh, are often not even noticed by Russians, who do not have the necessary network of low-altitude radars;

• the need to disperse the Russian Armed Forces' air defense assets to cover particularly important rear facilities with a significant number of radars and anti-aircraft missile systems to search for and destroy high-speed, low-altitude targets, which significantly weakens the Russian air defense in general;

• spending resources to strengthen defense and complicate logistics beyond the range of HIMARS missile systems;

• spending additional resources on finding places of basing and defeating Ukrainian strike aircraft and places of storage of guided missiles as the most effective means of counteraction.

“Russian air defense is focused on combating missiles moving in a ballistic trajectory, missiles such as HIMARS and Tochka, Vilkha, Smerch, Uragan, while cruise missiles and low-altitude targets, as shown by our helicopters' raid on Belgorod and strikes by drones such as Strizh, are often not even noticed by Russians, who do not have the necessary network of low-altitude radars”

Overall conclusion:

Ukraine is rapidly building up its arsenal of weapons, and our strike capabilities have increased significantly. The supply of such systems as Storm Shadow shows that NATO will do everything to prevent Ukraine's defeat. A new arms race has begun in the world, and Russia will not be able to win in a clash with NATO's technology and industry. If the supply of long-range precision weapons increases, Russia will suffer unacceptable losses that it will not be able to recover even in a positional war.

Source

About the author: Yuriy Butusov, journalist, soldier with the Ukrainian Armed Forces 

The editorial staff do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.