Debate over 'expired' ATACMS missiles headed to Ukraine
The Bulgarian service Obektivno, citing Pentagon budget documents, reports that the expiration date of some older ATACMS missiles, which were intended for Ukraine, expired in 2015. This was already noted at the beginning of 2024 by Newsweek, which mentioned the M39 and M39A1 variants produced in the 1990s. In a conversation with WP Tech, Gen. Tomasz Drewniak, former Inspector of the Polish Air Force, explained that occurence.
The findings of Obektivno indicate that the "expiration date" of certain older ATACMS missiles, scheduled for delivery to Ukraine, had expired in 2015. Earlier this year, Newsweek also highlighted this, discussing the oldest versions of ATACMS missiles, the M39 and M39A1. These missiles, produced in the 1990s, have been gradually replaced by newer models over time.
ATACMS for Ukraine
Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, argued at the time that there were no concerns regarding the expiration dates of these missiles. "All weapons are eventually replaced by better, more lethal, more cost-effective weapons," he said in an interview with Newsweek. He also argued that these missiles could significantly impact operations conducted by the Ukrainians.
Currently, following authorization by U.S. President Joe Biden's administration for the use of American weapons to strike targets deep within Russia, ATACMS could be used by Ukrainians to conduct attacks on airports, supply points, or warehouses on Russian territory. These locations play a significant role in ongoing military operations, and ATACMS missiles—depending on the version—can strike targets up to 186 miles away.
Missile expiration
In a conversation with WP Tech, Gen. Tomasz Drewniak, former Inspector of the Polish Air Force, discussed how the "expiration date" of missiles and their subsequent military usefulness should be perceived.
"First of all, it should be remembered that a missile consists of several components, and many factors influence its combat usefulness. Clearly determining whether a missile is 'expired' requires extensive knowledge. For example, there are various ways of storing missiles. If a missile is kept in a container with appropriate humidity, temperature, etc., it can be useful for up to 20 years. If such a missile is removed from the container, it may lose its usefulness within a year," he explained.
According to the military expert, in the case of ATACMS for Ukraine, it is challenging to form a clear stance without deeper knowledge. "We do not know how the missiles were stored, under what conditions, or what might have expired in them—whether the rocket motor or the navigation systems. Therefore, I would not pursue sensationalism here," added Gen. Tomasz Drewniak.
"In Poland, we also keep expired missiles. This is a standard procedure worldwide. It needs to be clearly stated that these are missiles used during training, for example, for shooting exercises in Ustka. We do not use them in combat. Another important issue is the procedures for checking such missiles. In our country, this is handled by the Institute of Aviation Technical Troops. For instance, anti-aircraft missiles nearing the end of their service lives, or sometimes beyond, are sent there," the military expert emphasized.
The expert also explained what poor storage of missiles might entail in practice. For example, not ensuring proper humidity can lead to the rocket motor getting wet, resulting in the missile having completely different flight parameters than those assumed as standard.
