In 2020, the United States has repeatedly used rocket weapons from Russian-Belarusian borders. Thus, in September, the shooting from the MLRS volley fire jet system occurred within the framework of the exercises in Estonia, and at the end of November, training salts were given from two Himars defended in Romania. In addition, after the release of Washington from the RSD Treaty for such installations, new rockets began to be developed, expanding the range of their attackers. As Belarus and Russia can counteract American RSW, read in the continuation of the Chief Specialist of the Center for Geopolitical Studies of the Baltic Region Institute of Geopolitical and Regional Studies of the Baltic Federal University. I.Kanta Yuri Zvereva.
The increase in the number of US RSZO in Europe
After the end of the Cold War, the United States significantly reduced their troops in Europe. It was also touched by artillery, including the multiform. As a result, by 2006, the United States remained only one part, armed RSW MLRS - 1st Division of the 94th Field Artillery Regiment (1-94 FA) in Baumacholder (Germany) with 18 launchers. But in May 2008, he was disbanded, after which Americans did not have parts in Europe, armed RSWs at all.After the start in 2014, Atlantic Resolve operations ("Atlantic determination"), aimed at "coherent" of Russia, the United States began to periodically transfer the RSW to Europe to the exercise. These installations began to appear in Eastern Europe. So in June 2016, in Estonia, two batteries of the M142 Himars of the 1st Division 181 of the Field Artillery Regiment (1-181 Fa) of the National Guard of the State were transferred for participation in Saber Strike 16 military transport aircraft Tennessee. And on the Polish Teaching with the international participation of Anakonda 2016 in the same month of RSZO M142 Himars of the 5th Division of the 113rd Field Artillery Regiment (5-113 FA) of the National Guard of North Carolina.
Since September 2016, the United States began to collect in the warehouses of the "advanced warehousing stocks of the US Army 2" (APS-2 - Army Prepositioned Stocks 2) in Europe, weapons and technique of one armored division. With the opening in 2017, US Dulmen (Germany) of the USA began to place RSZO for artillery for this division there. According to available information, the entire United States has been placed on the APS-2 warehouses in Europe, the technique of two divisions of the RSW M270A1 MLRS and two Division of the M142 Himars.
On November 30, 2018, the American 41st Field Artillery Brigade (41st FAB) was revived (41st FAB), a nickname "Rail gunners" ("Railway arrows") in Grafenvera (Earth Bavaria, Germany). Earlier, it was disbanded in Germany on July 15, 2005. In September 2019, the 1st division of the 6th shelf of field artillery was officially created as part of the brigade (1-6 FA), armed with M270A1 MLRS. January 27, 2020. This division conducted a combat shooting at the grapheneur polygon - the first such for the United States in Europe since 2006.
In September 2020, the second division was created as part of the 41st brigade - the 1st division of the 77th shelf of field artillery (1-77 Fa), armed as M270A1 MLRS and M142 Himars and M142. In the same month, BRAVO 1-6 FA Battery Artillery 41st Field Artillery Brigade held the first combat shooting from the MLRS RSZO outside its permanent base in Germany - at the Central Polygon of Estonian Defense Forces Tapa, in close proximity to the borders with Russia (110 km ) (Teaching Rail Gunner Rush). The Russian Embassy in the United States estimated these teachings as provocative and extremely dangerous for regional stability.
In November 2020, two RSZO M142 Himars from 1-77 FA 41th field artillery brigade, defended for several hours by air from the Ramstein airbase in Germany on C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, held there on the training ground Capo-mussel combat shooting in the Black Sea (Rapid Falcon Teaching) - the second combat shooting of the 41st brigade outside of Germany. Immediately after the shooting of the installation and calculations of decline in Germany. According to the American Magazine Forbes, these shootings have become a "missile surprise for Russian troops in the Crimea" (although the place of shooting to the Crimea is about 400 km, so it's not even a rocket of Atacms before it, not to mention GMLRS). However, speaking of promising American missiles with a greater range, Forbes writes that "Army Himars, arriving in Romania and departing from it, represent a serious and unpredictable threat to Russian troops in the region."
This US teaching in practice was demonstrated by a new tactics called "Himars Rapid Infiltrations". Instead of slow deployment of roads or railways, the installation can be quickly deployed through the air and appear almost everywhere where there is a suitable airfield.
MLRS MLRS continues to Europe from the continental part of the United States. So in early December 2020. For the first time during the rotations of American armored brigade combat groups in Europe, there was simultaneously transferred to support the 1st armored brigade combat group of the 1st Cavalry division Division of the M270A1 MLRS (1st division of the 142nd shelf of field artillery (1-142 FA) Arkansas National Guard). It is located at the Dravsk-Pomorsk Polygon in Poland.
How big is a rocket threat?
The return of US RSZO, of course, increases the fighting opportunities of the American army in Europe, including in the conduct of fire for a large range (up to 300 km). In addition, the Kaliningrad region is under threat (in the case of placing American RSWs in Poland and / or Lithuania), as well as St. Petersburg, Leningrad and Pskov region (when placed in Estonia and / or Latvia). In the event of the emergence of American RSW in Ukraine, the Crimea will be at risk.
Threatens American missile systems and allied Belarus. Among potential targets - first of all, the so-called Russian "zones of restrictions and revenues of access and maneuver" (A2 / AD - ANTI-Access / Area-Denial) in the Kaliningrad region, around St. Petersburg and in the Crimea.
The Aerobility of the Himars RSZO and, to a lesser extent, MLRS has never been a secret, but the development of their rapid transformation to the shooting sites and in practice should force the Russian and Belarusian military planners to take into account this circumstance and develop the necessary countermeasures (which is certainly done).
Now RSZO in the USA in Europe is relatively few. One division of MLRS / HIMARS has 18 launchers (three batteries of 6 PU). That is, in the 41st brigade of field artillery, the only American military unit in Europe, armed RSW, is likely to have five MLRS MLRS batteries (30 PU) and at least one HIMARS Battery (6 PU). Another maximum of the MLRS MLRS batteries (18 PU) brought to Poland for rotation 1-142 FA.
In total, the United States is now available in Europe 48 PU RSZO MLRS and 6 PU RSZO Himars, which are able to release in one volley 582 high-precision controlled GMLRS missiles or 102 high-precision operational-tactical ATACMS rockets. But the ammunition is designed not to one volley and there is the possibility of transferring over the sea and through the air additional launchers and rockets from the continental part of the United States.
What can Russia answer
Russia, even after the reduction in the armed forces significantly exceeds the United States according to the number of RSZO (more than 862 [1] against 640) [2]. Of these, 550 units are in the RSZO "Grad" with a maximum shooting range of 21 km (modernized ammunition - up to 40 km). 200 more is the RSZO "Hurricane" with a maximum shooting range of 34 km. That is, at the maximum firing range, these RSWS is inferior to American GMLRS MLRS / Himars (84 km). American rockets, besides, are manageable, and, therefore, have a higher accuracy of hitting.Russia also consists of 100 long-range large-caliber 300-mm RSZO "Tornado", which can shoot at 90 km (including manageable rocket shells). According to experts, in the power of volley, one "tornado" is equal to 20 settings "Hrad" (the volley of one machine covers an area of 672 thousand square meters).
It is announced that by the end of 2027, the RSZO "Tornado" and "Hurricane" in the Russian armed forces will be almost completely replaced with a large caliber of 9K515 "Tornado-C", adopted in 2016.
RSZO Tornado-C uses fundamentally new 300-mm managed reactive shells that can affect the range of range up to 120 km, which is more than the American GMLRS. At the same time, an individual flight task may be brought to each projectile.
For this RSW, a new ultra-voluminous rocket is also being developed, which is not yet reported. But earlier the developers promised to reach up to 200 km (which is more than that of ER GMLRS created in the US). And RSZO "Grad" will be replaced by the new RSZO 9Q51M "Tornado-M" of the average caliber with an automated fire control system, adopted in 2014.
It is believed that on the combat effectiveness of Tornado-G exceeds "Grad" 2.5-3 times. For Tornado-G, high-precision missiles have been developed, allowing to give a volley from one start-up setting at once to several goals or focus the fire of several RSWs on one. The separated heads of these missiles falling on stabilizing parachutes are almost plugged, they can affect the goals even in shelters and behind the reverse slopes of heights. The same rockets are also created for Tornado-C.
In 2016, the new RSW 9k512 "Hurrica 1M" was also adopted in Russia. This is a bicaliber system that can use replaceable TPK with reactive projectiles of two calibers - either 220, or 300 mm. The maximum shooting range is 120 km, in the future it is possible to appear even more long-range missiles.
The counterweight operational-tactical ATACMS missiles are Russian operational and tactical complexes (CZDC) "Iskander-M", which I have already told on this portal. The rockets of these PCCs have a greater range than ATACMS (the farthest flight during training launches is 480 km, and the maximum stated range is up to 500 km versus 300 km from the American rocket). They can carry ten different types of combat equipment - both ordinary and nuclear (ATACMS missiles officially not equipped with nuclear warheads).
Circular probable deviation of the rocket Ostrol "Iskander-M" with the correlation GSN for some estimates is 5-7 m, that is, it is more accurately an American competitor with a more severe and powerful BC. The rocket is made using "Stelc technologies" and intensively maneuver in flight, which makes it a practically inconvenient purpose for the best foreign systems about.
In addition, not only quasibalistic, but also winged rockets with a range of flights to 500 km and a circular probable deviation from the target in one meter can carry the complex "Iskander-M". According to foreign data, Russia in 2019 had in service with 140 launchers of Iskander-M (3] (each can carry either two quasibalistic or two winged rockets).
For controlarian struggle with MLRS / Himars, Russia can use the radar stations of artillery exploration "Zoo" and Zoo and Zoo-1M, and in the future and new controlarian radars "Hawk-Av", the development of which is completed. They are able to conquer American missile installations and transfer the target designation to their aircraft, self-propelled artillery settings (SAU) and RSZO. Next year, Penicillin's artillery intelligence complex is expected to be admired, which flows the firing positions of the enemy using special super-sensitive sound sensors, thermal imaging and video cameras.
Abilities of Belarus
Belarus has in service with 164 RSZO Grad and 36 "Hurricane" and actively upgrade them. Thus, on the basis of 122-mm RSSO BM-21 "Hrad", the Belarusian version of the BM-21A "Belgrade" was created with the placement of the artillery part on the chassis of a car of increased passability of MAZ-6317. For "Grads" and "Belgradov", the plant "Plant of accurate electromechanics" has developed new reactive shells with various combat parts with firing range up to 40 km. In 2019, the Belarusian OJSC Volitavto presented the modernized RSZO "Hurrica M" on the new Wheel chassis MAZ-631705 (6 × 6) with modern means of navigation, communications and automation of the process of guiding the Belarusian production.
In addition, in Belarus, 301 mm Polonais RSSO has been developed with B-200 missiles [4], which have a maximum firing range of 200 km. And the upgraded version of the "Polonz-M" with B-300 missiles [5] has a maximum shooting range already 300 km, which is comparable to the maximum range of American ATACMS missiles. The RSZO / Polonsez-M missile guidance system is combined: inertial with satellite correction (GPS). The circular probable deviation (CVO) from the target at the maximum range is from 30 to 50 m. In August 2016, the Polonaise RSZO was adopted in Belarus.
In 2020, a new Belorussian 122-mm PSZO "Shkva", developed by OJSC "Voltavto", was held. It is equipped with the guide pipes of Belarusian production and a more efficient automatic fire control system, satellite navigation system, a meteorological system, a modern complex of communication and data transmission, an automated guidance system for working as part of a grouping with targeting.
Shkwalk can use both the entire line of ammunition of the RSZO "Grad" and upgraded ammunition developed in Belarus for the LELDRAD RSSO.
Thus, Russia and Belarus are already now, not to mention the future, they have a fairly powerful Arsenal of RSZO and operational-tactical missiles capable of parrying the American missile threat from the MLRS / Himars complexes. And there are other means of lesions capable of fighting them, which remained beyond our narrative (for example, aviation, sea and air-based winged rockets and other). Well, finally, as the "last argument of kings" never and no one forget that Russia is a nuclear power. And its nuclear guarantees and apply to the Allied Belarus.
Yuri Zverev, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, Chief Specialist of the Center for Geopolitical Studies of the Baltic Region Institute of Geopolitical and Regional Studies of the Baltic Federal University. Immanuel Kanta
[1] Another 3220 is on storage.
[2] The Military Balance. L., 2020. P. 48, 52, 196.
[3] The Military Balance. L., 2020. P. 196.
[4] Developed on the basis of the Chinese Rocket A-200.
[5] Developed on the basis of the Chinese rocket A-300.