New Munition Proving Ground | Weapons and Technologies in the Russo-Ukraine Conflict
hello everyone welcome to today's weapons showcase I'm Lu U and joining me in the studio are two experts teacher way don't you and teacher jangang welcome both of you in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine that has lasted for over a year the tanks artillery and aircraft used by both sides are mostly developed during the Cold War era however these platforms are now equipped with new types of ammunition previously we discussed the use of Javelin anti-tank missiles by the Ukrainian military but recently the West has provided a more intelligent and advanced anti-tank missile than the javelin let's take a look on February 17th 2023 Vice chairman of the French defense and Armed Forces Committee Jee Louise tierry confirmed to the media that France has provided the latest Akon MP anti-tank missiles to the Ukrainian military Alon MP previously known as the MMP anti-tank missile system is referred to as the fifth generation anti-tank missile by its manufacturer European missile group Akon MP is a fiber optic guided anti-tank missile equipped with dual band uncooled infrared Imaging and wh light CCD guidance heads which provide highresolution wh Light TV images and infrared Imaging the guidance head does not require cooling with gas cylinders allowing for longer observation and faster Target locking moreover it can lock onto multiple targets unlike the javlin missile which can only be locked on to by the operator it also includes a terminal with communication capabilities which can access the reconnaissance Network and Achieve fire and forget capability the European missile group has presented a solution in their promotional video where unman drones locate the Target and transmit the target information to the missile terminal operator for Beyond line of sight attacks the maximum range is 5,000 m and it can penetrate homogeneous steel armor plates up to 1,000 mm thick or concrete structures up to 2,000 mm thick the short video we just watched introduced the latest acon MP anti-tank missile provided by France to the Ukrainian military it not only has greater Firepower than the javelin but also has fire and forget capability so what is the significance of this capability in actual combat teacher Jang I think this capability is more like longrange aiming or long range attacks or what we call hitting the cow from behind the hill with this capability it can first improve its ability to overcome obstacles for example previous anti-tank missiles like some of those used by Ukraine use laser beam guidance which requires continuous targeting of the target if there is smoke buildings or trees obstructing The View they cannot be used however with this new anti-tank missile if an unmanned drone detects the Target or a scout detects the target they can send the target's coordinates to the operator who can then launch the missile for an attack the first advantage of this is that it can fully utilize the effective range of over 5,000 m compared to the javelin's range of 2,500 M it is much better in the Ukrainian Battlefield it is difficult to find an open field that allows such a long range engagement we often see many forests and buildings in videos so how can we make use of this 5,000 meter range this hitting the cow from behind the hill tactic can leverage its advantages the second Advantage is that it can improve the survivability and safety of the Gunner if you are far away and launch the missile I can hit you but you can't hit me this provides safety for the Gunner furthermore it can be launched from behind certain buildings making it difficult for the enemy to detect the operator's position this significantly enhances the safety of the Gunner the Akon MP's Advanced features such as its longrange capability in dual mode guidance system make it a more advanced technology compared to the javelin missile however in terms of the impact on Russian soldiers it's important to note that the French military does not possess a large quantity of these fifth generation anti-tank missiles like the Akon MP when providing weapons and equipment to Ukraine NATO member countries often offer existing stock products rather than their most advanced ones therefore even if France provides these missiles they would prioritize meeting the needs of their own Armed Forces it is likely that only a small batch of aclon MP missiles would be provided to Ukraine considering the limited quantity of these missiles and other factors the overall impact on the Russian military in the conflict area would be relatively limited however we objectively acknowledge that these fifth generation anti-tank missiles with their long range and dual mode guidance system combining TV and infrared guidance possess significant destructive capabilities against main battle tanks and even fortified structures especially in nighttime or complex terrain conditions in response to this situation Russia would need to enhance the defense of its own tanks and adopt more flexible tactics by actively strengthening the survivability of their main battle tanks through both proactive and passive measures Russia can ensure a higher level of safety in their tank operations even in areas where Akon MP missiles are deployed currently we can observe that a significant number of Russian tanks in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have been destroyed by individual anti-tank missiles and with the continuous supply of new types of ammunition to the Ukrainian military the environment for Russian tanks has become even more dangerous let's now shift our Focus to the recent new types of ammunition acquired by the Ukrainian armed forces in a video released in January 2023 a bernam Atman missile exploded above a Target and the downward launched Warhead destroyed a Russian armor S1 air defense system below this is not the first time that the Ukrainian military has used Western provided men missiles on the battlefield in a video footage released in July 2022 a slow descending white object suddenly exploded in midair and a Russian infantry Fighting Vehicle below was destroyed this ammunition is the German provided smart t155 mm Min missile the Min missile short four munition mitn ballistic NCH wise or munition with terminal ballistics proof is capable of autonomously detecting an attacking Targets in the terminal phase of its trajectory delivering top attack strikes against tanks and armored vehicles after being launched into the target area the bullet is ejected from the parent projectile deploys its wings or deceleration parachute to slow down and then descends while rotating simultaneously simple laser infrared or millimeter wave sensor spiral scan the ground below as the ammunition descends once the Min missile detects Target signals that match its preset characteristics it immediately detonates forming a self- forging fragment Warhead it attacks the vulnerable top armor of Tanks similar to armor-piercing shells the previous video introduced two types of men missiles used by the Ukrainian military on the battlefield how to men missiles compared to the Precision guided Javin missiles we discussed earlier what are the differences between Min missiles and guided artillery shells let's refer to these types of ammunition as smart Munitions because by today's standards they may not be considered highly intelligent so what sets them apart from guided artillery shells when we talk about guided artillery shells one example is the javelin missile you mentioned earlier it primarily uses satellite guidance meaning that once the target's precise coordinates are known they are inputed into the missiles guidance system after launch the missile can operate independently without further input however these types of shells can only engage stationary targets another type of guided artillery shell is laser guided it requires continuous laser illumination of the Target and the shell itself has a semi-active laser Seeker that follows the laser beam to strike the designated Target however these laser guided shells cannot be fired and forgotten they require ongoing laser illumination throughout their trajectory on the other hand the Min missile can engage both moving targets and be fired and forgotten giving it a dual advantage in certain scenarios it offers distinct advantages for example when dealing with an enemy air defense system that has been detected after activation but with imprecise location information the Min missile can be launched without the need for pinpoint accuracy it can use its own search and tracking system to acquire and engage the target additionally when countering enemy artillery the Min missile has an advantage using counter battery radar the defending side can roughly determine the location of the enemy artillery positions in situations where the enemy artillery is mobile firing men missiles can effectively engage and neutralize those targets the Min missile also excels at engaging cluster Target targets such as vehicle convoys or advancing tanks it can be fired and forgotten and each missile carries multiple Warheads resulting in a significant destructive capability however it's worth noting that the Min missile has limitations it requires targets with sufficient thermal radiation or metallic signatures for detection and tracking its Warheads are primarily designed for anti-armour purposes making them less effective against fortified structures or other types of targets now let's discuss the potential threat posed by men missiles to the Russian military the emergence of Min missiles primarily addresses the challenge of using howitzers to engage tanks as we know howitzers are primarily indirect fire weapons when engaging main battle tanks one option is to employ direct fire mode however in this scenario howitzers lack a significant advantage against tanks due to the Tank's strong Armor high mobility and advanced defensive systems engaging main battle tanks with howitzers in a direct fire mode would likely result in the destruction of the howitzers the introduction of Min missiles provides a solution to this problem these missiles offer a more effective means of engaging tanks combining the advantages of direct fire with the Precision and lethality of the men missiles Warheads by utilizing men missiles against tanks the Ukrainian military can pose a significant threat to Russian armored forces in certain situations with a range of 150 km the previous long range guided rocket projectile used by the hamars was the M31 m30 now with the extended range of 150 km it poses a greater threat to the shallow and deep targets of the Russian military bases Supply Depots and command centers are all at risk the reason for its extended range is the inclusion of two high aspect ratio wings that allow for gliding additionally its power is higher with a weight of around 250,000 kg making it over 100 kg heavier than the previous m30 M31 Warhead and resulting in a larger explosive effect moreover the bomb is capable of Performing steep dive attacks posing a significant threat to reinforce targets such as small bunkers furthermore its safety is increased due to the extended range of 150 km allowing it to operate far from the contact line between the two forces and improving its survivability indeed this seemingly unimpressive composite equipment possesses significant capabilities now let's consider if the Russian military has any means to counter it firstly the Striking Distance of this ammunition is indeed considerable making it difficult to defend against using conventional measures therefore Innovative Concepts may be necessary for instance employing decoys can be effective since the Russian military has extensively equipped itself with inflatable decoys such as inflatable tanks and air defense missiles by showcasing these decoys around the actual combat platforms they can attract and divert ground launched small diameter bombs thus depleting the Western supplied long range Precision guided Munitions in addition to this intercepting such ammunition in the air poses significant challenges however targeting the platforms themselves could be feasible if combat aircraft including unmanned combat drones can be utilized to directly destroy the highly mobile hammar's rocket artillery it would prevent the launch of these longrange Precision strike Munitions this would significantly enhance the survivability and safety of the the Russian Frontline forces now let's move on to the response of the Russian military to the new type of ammunition obtained by the Ukrainian forces on March 4th 2023 according to the Ukrainian media Outlet defense Express the Russian military employed a new gliding bomb weighing 1.5 tons designated as the PAB 1500b the remnants of the bomb found by the Ukrainian forces bore markings corresponding to this particular bomb this is not the first time the Russian military has used this massive bomb as early as March 20th 2022 a video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense showed a sue 35s fighter aircraft carrying a upab 1500b bomb this bomb has a length of 5 m and a diameter of 400 MM weighing 1.5 tons with one ton dedicated to the Warhead it is equipped with a delayed fuse that detonates the bomb after penetrating the defenses the upab 1500b is specifically designed to strike fortified targets beyond the range of air defense systems when dropped from an altitude of 15,000 M it has a range of up to 50 kilm it is equipped with an inertial guidance and satellite positioning system with a circular error probable of approximately 10 m in the previous video the Russian military used a 1.5 ton gliding bomb to Target Ukrainian forces such relatively inexpensive guided weapons are not commonly seen within the Russian military the notable advantage of this bomb is its tremendous power with a weight of 1.5 tons it is equivalent to
over 10 small diameter bombs like the ones we discussed earlier if it utilizes a high explosive Warhead its destructive capability is significant moreover it can also employ penetration type Warheads commonly known as bunker Busters in the Russian Ukrainian conflict the Ukrainian side has numerous fortifications including protective facilities and even fortified bases within buildings if this bomb is used to Target such structures combined with smart fuses it can precisely control the floor at which the explosion occurs this poses a significant threat to the Ukrainian forces the second advantage of this bomb is its affordability this is a shared characteristic of all satellite guided Munitions it is cheaper compared to other guided weapons such as cruise missiles or surfac to- aair weapons for instance similar American guided bombs like the jdam have a procurement cost of less than $330,000 while other weapons like cruise missiles and surfac toar weapons cost millions of dollars therefore the gliding bomb is more cost effective the reason for its affordability lies in its Simplicity it consists of a satellite receiver a chip a basic inertial guidance system and some actuation mechanisms by reducing the complexity it becomes cheaper enabling mass production and exerting a significant impact on the battlefield apart from the aforementioned 1.5 ton lighting bomb the Russian military has other new types of ammunition that are already in use or are about to be deployed one example is the laser guided artillery shell launched by artillery units as we mentioned earlier infantry units and reconnaissance teams can designate targets and then traditional artillery including toad artillery can deliver precise Firepower against those targets furthermore in the specific military operation area there are notable advancements in the field of cruise missiles for instance the leoda cruise missile has a simple deployment and usage process it resembles a large slingshot launcher and can be used to conduct reconnaissance and engage high value targets within a range of a dozen kilometers once a valuable Target is identified it can be precisely engaged including enemy main battle tanks or even air defense missile launchers effectively hunting them down with Firepower therefore in this type of attack live broadcasting can be conducted because the entire scene of the dive attack is captured on video this allows the relevant operational units to report the results of the operation more effectively at the level of psychological warfare through media demonstrations they can showcase the impact of weapons like the Leo y da and their successful strikes in this specific military operation area there are various types of guided Munitions ranging from large scale ones to smaller ones like the Leo da gliding bomb these Precision guided Munitions significantly enhance the effectiveness of military operations in today's program we along with two experts have reviewed some of the new types of ammunition that have emerged in the recent Russia Ukraine conflict these include expensive and rare smart Munitions as well as costeffective yet highly accurate Munitions like the upab 1500b gliding bomb we have witnessed Western countries adopting a strategy of continuous upgrades in escalation in their support to the Ukrainian military we will continue to monitor the practical application of Next Generation smart Munitions and precision guided weapons by both Russia and Ukraine that concludes today's program we sincerely thank our guests for joining us and thank you all for watching see you in the next episode
2023-10-26 15:26
