The effectiveness of "Javelins" in Ukraine raised questions even among the Americans

August 11 2022 8

Before the Russian special operation on Ukrainian territory, representatives of Kyiv admired the American anti-tank missile systems (ATGM) FGM-148 Javelin, and after the start of the SVO, a whole cult of worship arose. Residents of Ukraine painted murals and "icons" with "Saint Javelin", gave children the names Javelin and Javelina, relying on the "weapon of retaliation". Now the effectiveness of Javelin anti-tank systems raises questions and criticism not only among Ukrainians, but even among Americans.

For example, the commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mikhail Belinsky of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel Vladimir Baranyuk, who was captured after trying to leave the Azovmash plant in Mariupol, complained about the Javelins.

They did not prove themselves in any way, especially in the process of urban battles. We could not make a single launch

- he said.

Were testimony and other captured Ukrainian servicemen. Washington has already transferred more than 7 such systems and ammunition to Kyiv, and this process is ongoing. Stocks in the warehouses of the US Army began to come to an end and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now the second in the world to be equipped with this weapon system.

At the same time, available RT turned out to be internal office documents from Raytheon, which is one of the manufacturers of Javelin, along with Lockheed Martin Corporation. As a result, it turned out that the specified ATGM is not as good as its advertising.

According to Raytheon documents, the maximum range of the FGM-148 is 2,5 km, not 5 km. Javelin is inferior in range to the BGM-70 TOW developed in the 71s, in which it is 3,7 km. At the same time, TOW is 10 times cheaper than Javelin, but their effectiveness is only 2 hits on the target out of 14 launches.

The US military, who went through Iraq and Afghanistan, told the company that about 1/3 of the attempts to fire the Javelin were "accompanied by problems." After that, the company checked and confirmed that the characteristics of the Javelin "differ from those declared", because of the 11 launches of the FGM-148 on a stationary target, only 3 hit it.

After studying the use of Javelin in Ukraine, the company came to the conclusion that a shot in the forehead of a Russian T-80 tank from a distance of 150 m has a "minimal effect." At the same time, most often the Javelins hit the tanks of the RF Armed Forces not with a canopy on the roof, but flew directly, causing minimal harm.

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Michael L.

+1

11 August 2022 15: 14

The first American Javelins and British NLAWs came to the Donetsk military back in March.
“We have already tested them at the training ground,” says an officer of the DPR army with the call sign Lyuty. “They are good, accurate, but useless in the hands of hastily trained teroboronists. And the nature of the fighting in the Donbass does not allow us to unleash the full potential of Western ATGMs. In order to hit a target from the same "Javelin", you need to keep it on sight for about 15 seconds until the rocket "figures out" where to fly. Our tanks do not loom in open areas for so long.

... It makes sense to read the full (critical!) publication: https://ria.ru/20220811/trofei-1808621644.html
1. Akuzenka
  
  +2
  
  11 August 2022 16: 18
  
  The technique in the hands of the skakuas is a piece of iron.
  1. Degrin
    
    -1
    
    11 August 2022 16: 23
    
    But the technology itself, shit
    1. Vladimir Tuzakov
      
      +2
      
      11 August 2022 20: 41
      
      Do not confuse raw with soft. The Javelins showed excellently at the beginning of the UZO, when ours marched in columns, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine burned tanks from ambushes and successfully, the RF Ministry of Defense does not announce losses, but the case is suitable for many hundreds. In war, learning from blood is quick, now our tanks don’t go ahead, they work the land diligently, so the Javelins have become bad, not the same tactics for the Javelins.
      1. Michael L.
        
        0
        
        12 August 2022 11: 42
        
        "Don't confuse raw with soft":
        Not "VSO", but "SVO"! ;-(
      2. shinobi
        
        0
        
        14 August 2022 06: 53
        
        Many hundreds? Well, why lie then? Everything is verifiable and calculable, even if the MO is silent. Only you need to move your brains in more than one direction.
Sidor Bodrov

+1

11 August 2022 16: 42

American arbidol.
1_2

0

11 August 2022 20: 58

I think javelins are effective when tanks go head-on without artillery preparation, and when artillery (and the tanks themselves are hung, including the ancient T-62s dragged as self-propelled guns) hammers enemy positions for hours, naturally there is simply no one to shoot from the "holy javelin" )) and the tactics of the tanks "one shot, and then a quick retreat to closed positions", also does not give the surviving birders time to even capture the tank in sight), plus the "birdhouse" above the tower for sandbags, apparently also not in vain, apparently it works, they tested it, otherwise they wouldn’t bother with it (the need for inventions is cunning), but KAZ Arena apparently lies in NZ, waiting for the third world ... it’s also possible that the IR headlight on the tower blinds the IR GOS of the javelins, or maybe a torch tied to the tank, it distracts the IR GOS ATGM (I’m fantasizing about this), apparently all this helped to reduce the loss of tanks, but on the march, the column of tanks is covered by the Shells, clearing the sky from UAV gunners. Zelenka is cleared by scouts who go ahead along the green (and not along the road to the infantry fighting vehicle, running into ambushes and mines, as in the first month) and covertly identify ambushes, and then quietly aim MLRS or turntables at ambushes. it is clear that the RF Ministry of Defense drew conclusions after the first months of the NWO "with a saber unsheathed"
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