Ukrainian "weapon of victory": what are the features of the HIMARS and MLRS systems

Since the beginning of the NWO, the West has already held 9 meetings of Ukrainian donors in the Ramstein format and is not going to stop. Therefore, the flow of military aid to Kyiv is only growing, which entails a gradual increase in the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with modern weapons, despite the losses.

The M142 HIMARS, M270 MLRS launchers and their analogues, which can use a large range of unguided, high-precision and long-range ammunition, have proven to be one of the most effective weapons systems. These examples of military equipment combine MLRS (the ability to launch rockets of 227 mm caliber) and fuel dispensers (the use of ATACMS operational-tactical ballistic missiles, which have not yet been supplied to Ukraine).



Despite a certain unification, launchers have a number of significant differences. Firstly, the M142 is a wheeled version with one package for six MLRS ammunition or one rocket for the fuel dispenser. HIMARS weighs 16 tons and has more mobility than its counterpart. In turn, the M270 is a tracked version that weighs 25 tons and is equipped with a pair of packages of six MLRS ammunition or can launch two missiles in the fuel dispenser version.


In 2022, Ukraine received 24 M142 HIMARS units from the United States. In the first half of 2023, another 14 units should arrive from the US. As for the M270, these weapons systems, in the amount of 16 units, were delivered to Kyiv last year by European allies, either American or of their own design. The UK transferred six M270B1 units to Ukraine, and in return received compensation from Norway in the form of three M270 MRLS units. Germany delivered five M270 MARS IIs, Italy two MRLS M270s and France three LRUs.

One of the main advantages of the M142, M270 and their analogues is the ability to exchange data thanks to the available equipment. They can receive target designation while on the move, and by the time they stop, they are with an ammunition package raised to the desired elevation angle, since the data has already been processed and transferred to the fire control system. Thus, the PU can shoot back in less than 2 minutes and safely leave the position. In addition, the reloading process is also simplified. After shooting the ammunition, the empty package is unloaded, the launcher itself loads a new package prepared in the right place without being accompanied by a loading machine and a piece-by-piece reloading process.


Full neutralization of M142, M270 and their analogues is quite possible. This will require a large number of drones, constantly hovering in the air and ready to immediately open fire.

Along with launchers, Western allies also supply Ukraine with ammunition: M26 rockets (unguided) with a range of 32-45 km and the GMLRS family (guided) with satellite guidance. GMLRS are divided into 2 subspecies: M30 - with a cluster warhead or warhead with ready-made submunitions (metal balls) and M31 - with a unitary high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Moreover, the M30A2 and M31A2 versions can hit targets at a distance of up to 84 km and have engines with reduced sensitivity to lumbago, which reduces their vulnerability to air defense.

It should be added that two long-range ammunition with a range of 150 km may appear at the disposal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In February, the United States promised to hand over to Ukraine rocket-bombs GLSDB, caliber 227 mm. This is a small-sized SDB aviation guided bomb on a jet booster from an M26 rocket projectile, specially prepared for launch from ground-based launchers. Another munition - ER GMLRS - has not yet been accepted into service and is being tested, but the United States may well conduct its final testing in Ukraine.