The US rushed the NASAMS (National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) air defense missile system to Ukraine in response to the huge Russian strike on Ukrainian infrastructure targets on October 10 and 11. According to numerous rumors, Kyiv might receive NASAMS by the end of the month.
The NASAMS will soon arrive, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is optimistic about it, just as he was when previous Western weapon systems like Stringer, Starstreak, Switchblade, M777, HIMARS, Harpoons, HARM, etc. arrived in the past.
John Kirby, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, announced to the media on October 12 that the US is accelerating the delivery of powerful NASAMS air defenses to Ukraine.
Russia has frequently attacked targets in Western Ukraine’s command and control centers and infrastructure using cruise missiles launched from the land, the air, or the sea.
The detection and engagement of cruise missiles that follow the terrain are both hard. They are routed through waypoints selected to avoid opponent AD systems (radars, missile batteries, and MANPADS) and perplex the defense regarding the intended target. They do not fly directly to the target.
A short-range target AD system like the Israeli SPYDER, Russian Pantsir, US NASAMS, and Indian QR-SAM is the most reliable and effective defense against cruise missiles.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles are used by NASAMS and have been modified for ground launch. The AMRAAM has high launch energy (speed & height) when launched from a fighter. The AMRAAM has no energy when it is launched from the ground.
It must climb and accelerate, using fuel from its rocket motor. As a result, the system’s range is restricted to about 30 kilometers. The system is incapable of providing area defense.
There is little doubt that NASAMS will increase Russian cruise missile losses. However, because the NASAMS is a short-range system and there are a lot of infrastructure, command, and communication targets, multiple NASAMS would be needed.
News Mania Desk
