• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
Bylines Scotland
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Bylines Scotland
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Western weapons Russia cannot counter

Western weapons are most effective in the Ukraine War. They have caused Russia to reconsider how it deploys its forces because they are no longer safe behind the front lines

George AllisonbyGeorge Allison
03-11-2022 07:00
in Business, Defence and Security, War in Ukraine
Reading Time: 8 mins read
A A
392
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Kiel Institute has tracked $84.2bn from 40 countries in financial, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine from 24 January to 3 August 2022.

Since the beginning of the Biden administration, the US has contributed $17.5bn in military aid to Ukraine, making it the most significant donor. Of that aid, $16.8bn has been given since February 2022. The UK has committed £2.3bn in military assistance to Ukraine thus far. It has made a pledge to match that assistance in 2023. The UK is also hosting a training programme, supported by several allies, intending to train 10,000 new and existing Ukrainian personnel within 120 days.

NATO has been very clear about its political support for Ukraine. It fully endorses the giving of individual allies’ bilateral military aid. 

The distribution of humanitarian supplies and non-lethal assistance is supported by NATO, which also assists in coordinating the Ukrainian government’s requests for help. However, because Ukraine is not a member of NATO, it is not a party to Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty, which contains NATO’s mutual defence clause. As a result, there will be no NATO forces stationed in Ukraine. 

Additionally, the European Union is supplying deadly weapons via its European Peace Facility (EPF). This is the first time in the bloc’s history that the transfer of lethal weapons to a third country has been authorised. The EU has already pledged €2.5bn.

I fought the NLAW, and the NLAW won

One word that the Russian army and the rest of the world had grown accustomed to hearing a week after Russia invaded Ukraine was NLAW. On 24 February 2022, various Western nations vowed to provide Ukraine with weapons in response to Russia’s “special military operation” there. 

A British contribution generally referred to as the NLAW, denoting its position as a “Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon,” was among the least expensive but most efficient. The NLAW, which measures 3 feet, 4 inches in length, weighs 28 pounds altogether, combines firepower and fire-and-forget electronics in a small, disposable container (compared to the 49-pound weight of the FGM-148 Javelin when it entered service with the Americans in 1996).

NLAW also employs a soft-launch-guided system with predictable line-of-sight guidance. After being fired, the round travels at a relatively slow speed of 40 metres (130 feet) per second with little backblast before the main propellant ignites to accelerate the round to a speed of 200 metres (600 feet) per second and a maximum range of 1,000 metres. The effective range is 800 metres (2,625 feet) (3,300 feet).

Top-down attacks

After keeping sights on the target for the first two or three seconds after firing, the user, equipped with a 2.5-power telescopic sight with night vision, can abandon his or her last firing position while the weapon is guided to the target based on those previous coordinates.

The NLAW can penetrate up to 20 inches of armour and is lighter and more portable than the Javelin. Still, its 4-pound shaped charge warhead lacks the tandem fuse system of the Javelin and can be deflected by active armour. However, the NLAW operator can employ a proximity fuse to launch an overfly top attack on a tank’s less heavily armoured upper surface or a direct contact explosive round to attack unarmoured targets or stationary enemy positions.

‘Cope cages’

Most likely, you’ve seen images of Russian tanks with what were known as ‘cope cages’. At the beginning of the invasion, these metal cages were being welded onto Russian tanks to provide protection from anti-tank missiles. In some cases, they may have been successful. 

Cope cages, episode 2: wooden logs and stolen furniture to protect your trucks against devils in the woods. I have no words, this is a disgrace.https://t.co/0kjlMPWqQu

— Jakub Jaraczewski (@J_Jaraczewski) March 5, 2022

Nevertheless, modern anti-tank weapons such as NLAW and Javelin, among other systems, took a terrible toll on Russian tanks, and the Russian Ministry of Defence rapidly sought out a new remedy. The cages were simply a waste of time.

Why, then, do these systems defeat Russian armour so well? The reality is that contemporary anti-tank missiles of the calibre delivered to Ukraine are, quite simply, horrifyingly efficient. 

Poor doctrine, poor results

Because even tanks from the West would struggle to defend themselves against them, the US is gradually integrating the trophy defence system into its own tank designs. Unlike reactive armour panels, this anti-tank missile system effectively disrupts incoming missiles by firing explosive charges.

However, Russia’s poor strategy and careless tank usage are the leading causes of this weapon’s potency. Moreover, the Russian military has repeatedly demonstrated that it cannot effectively operate infantry and armour together. As a result, Russian armour is frequently just left to fight for itself.

The Multiple-Launch Rocket System

In the Russian-led conflict in Ukraine, which top American commanders have dubbed a “battle of fires,” artillery strikes are essential. Because it possessed a much greater collection of artillery systems than the Ukrainian military, the Russian army had a clear edge at first. It implied they could destroy Ukrainian positions in the east without coming into contact with Ukrainian guns. 

By providing their allies with artillery weapons that not only have a more extended range than the Russians but also shoot with more accuracy, the United Kingdom, the United States, and finally, Germany have attempted to change the balance of weaponry on the battlefield in favour of Ukraine.

This involves providing the Ukrainian military with multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRS.

The Multiple-Launch Rocket System, also known as MLRS, is a mobile rocket artillery system that can launch numerous surface-to-surface missiles. The M270 rocket system is employed by the Royal Artillery of the British Army. The weapon is a highly mobile, automatic system that can fire 12 surface-to-surface precision-guided missiles in less than a minute. It is operated by a crew of three (a driver, gunner, and section chief). They can be fired singly, in pairs, or in groups of up to 12. With a 200lb high explosive warhead, the M31 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) munitions have a range of more than 50 miles, which is twice as far as other army artillery weapons.

Ukraine has received six MLRS from the UK, along with precision guided M31A1 missiles. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated that the system would “assist the country protect itself against Russian aggression” when the first of the three tranches was revealed in June 2022.

Sky News was the first to be granted permission to film a multiple-launch rocket system given to Ukraine by the UK in action during the war and to meet the soldiers operating it. 

“Thanks to these weapons, we’ve carried out really high-priority missions,” said the commander of the artillery unit, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. This included hitting military bases, columns of armoured vehicles and ammunition stores.

The commander said, in his opinion, around 30% of the successes achieved by Ukraine in a major counter-offensive in the east were thanks to the British and German rocket launchers.

“This is one of the key factors, which influenced the Russian army not just to retreat, but to run,” the officer said, referring to the recapture in recent weeks of swathes of illegally occupied territory across the Kharkiv region and into the Donbas.

These are two examples of Western weapons most effective in the Ukraine War. They have caused Russia to reconsider how it deploys its forces because they are no longer safe behind the front lines. 

Pushing Russia out

Ukraine has hit hundreds of Russian targets with just the two above examples. The velocity of the onslaught from Russian forces has slowed to a crawl as Russian forces must wait even longer for supplies as Russian command and control nodes and logistical hubs have been driven out of range. 

Russia has warned of a response to fresh shipments of weapon systems from the West. However, it is my view that Russia’s mouth is writing cheques that its military cannot cash as their military cannot handle the dozen or so rocket artillery systems and 8,000 NLAW launchers already deployed to Ukraine, never mind the 1,000 rocket artillery systems and 24,000 NLAW launchers ready to go in Western nations.


We need your help!

The press in our country is dominated by billionaire-owned media, many offshore and avoiding paying tax. We are a citizen journalism publication but still have significant costs.

If you believe in what we do, please consider subscribing to the Bylines Gazette from as little as £2 a month🙏

Tags: Multi-launch rocket systemNLAWWar in Ukraine
Previous Post

All change in the Kremlin?

Next Post

The Hill House in Helensburgh; a National Trust treasure

George Allison

George Allison

George Allison is co-editor-in-chief at Bylines Scotland. He has a degree in cyber security from Glasgow Caledonian University. George has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on radio and television to discuss current events. He has been covering defence and cyber security for around ten years and has written for numerous publications around the world with a focus on issues ranging from Scottish shipbuilding to the South China Sea.

Related Posts

Salmon in a fish farm without an eye
Environment

Worrying footage emerges from certified Scottish salmon farm

byBylines Scotland
20 September 2023
CalMac ferry arriving at Sconser
Business

A call for transparency in the CalMac Ferry Service consultation

byJohn Richardson
14 September 2023
Ferry in misty waters
Trade

A tale of two nations

byKenny MacAskill
25 August 2023
Loch Linnhe in Scotland
Environment

Long live Loch Linnhe

byEwan Kennedy
25 July 2023
Front of the Scottish Parliament
Business

Minister Neil Gray congratulates Scotland as it tops Europe for inward investment 

byMartin Roche
4 July 2023
Next Post
National Trust for Scotland has encased the entire Hill House with a protective steel frame structure, covered in chainmail mesh,, with walkways around and over the top of the house. All photographs in this article courtesy of the National Trust for Scotland and printed with permission.

The Hill House in Helensburgh; a National Trust treasure

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR CROWDFUNDER

Subscribe to our newsletters
CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
Follow us on social media
CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORMS
Download our app
ALL OF BYLINES IN ONE PLACE
Subscribe to our gazette
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SUSTAINABILITY
Make a monthly or one-off donation
DONATE NOW
Help us with our hosting costs
SIGN UP TO SITEGROUND
We are always looking for citizen journalists
WRITE FOR US
Volunteer as an editor, in a technical role, or on social media
VOLUNTEER FOR US
Something else?
GET IN TOUCH
Previous slide
Next slide

LATEST

Scottish flag in Scottish sky

Brave are the hearts that beat …

23 September 2023
Hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard

Long Covid can be a hidden disability that we need to recognise

22 September 2023
Salmon in a fish farm without an eye

Worrying footage emerges from certified Scottish salmon farm

20 September 2023
edinburgh

Scotland’s capital is a hive of chip design and innovation

19 September 2023

MOST READ

No Content Available

BROWSE BY TAGS

Books Brexit Christmas ClimateChange Covid Covid19 Culture cycling Defence Democracy Devolution election ferry FishFarms Glasgow Halloween health History Holyrood independence IndyRef2 Journalism Labour LGBT+ Liz Truss Monarchy NATO NHS Nicola Sturgeon politics Poverty Russia Sars-CoV-2 Scotland Security and Defence shipbuilding SNP Sunak Tories Twitter UBI Ukraine UK Supreme Court vaccines War in Ukraine
Bylines Scotland

We are a not-for-profit citizen journalism publication. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in Scotland and beyond.

Bylines Scotland is a trading brand of Bylines Network Limited, which is a partner organisation to Byline Times.

Learn more about us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Authors
  • Complaints
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Network Map
  • Network RSS Feeds
  • Privacy

© 2023 Bylines Scotland. Powerful Citizen Journalism

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Scotland
    • World
  • Politics
    • Council Areas
    • Europe
    • Holyrood
    • Rest of UK
    • Westminster
  • Business
    • Fishing
    • Trade
    • Transport
  • Health
  • Environment
    • Climate Change
  • Opinion
  • Donate
  • Newsletter sign up
CROWDFUNDER

© 2023 Bylines Scotland. Powerful Citizen Journalism

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In