Faulty rockets for Ukraine. The army has to fix them itself
The Bulgarian Parliament approved on Tuesday, September 26, the transfer of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine - reports the Defense Romania portal, which refers to the Agerpres agency. The thing is, the technical condition of the missiles leaves much to be desired, as the weapons are practically unusable. Therefore, if the Ukrainians want to make use of them, they have to repair them on their own or use them as spare parts.
Sep 27, 2023 | updated: 9:17 AM EDT, October 5, 2023
"An unspecified number of anti-aircraft missiles" are set to hit Ukraine soon. The defective S-300 missiles, in reality, however, cannot be used until they are repaired by the Ukrainian army. Bulgaria's Defense Minister Todor Tagarev emphasizes that Sofia cannot use the missiles due to their inadequate technical condition. In addition, the repair of the weapons there is not possible due to a lack of appropriate means.
Faulty S-300 missiles from Bulgaria for Ukraine
Quoted by Defense Romania, Christo Gadzew, a Bulgarian politician, explains that the aid given to Ukraine "does not diminish Bulgaria's defensive capabilities, especially since the country has been unsuccessfully trying to repair missiles for years".
In theory, the rockets in Bulgaria that are deemed unnecessary and unfit for use can prove to be valuable support for Ukraine, which has the technology to carry out proper maintenance. It's also possible that the transferred weapons will be used as spare parts for rockets already possessed.
Recently, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, appealed to Sofia for increased military aid. Bulgaria has already announced, among other things, the transfer of 100 unused BTR-60 carriers to the front.
The Soviet-guided anti-aircraft missiles 5W55K for the S-300 system, which will come from Bulgaria to Ukraine, are ground-to-air weapons designed to eliminate aerial targets. The missiles are capable of destroying both unmanned aircraft, but also enemy planes.
The 5W55K is characterized by a length of approx. 25 feet and a diameter of approx. 20 inches, with the weight of a single missile being approx. 1.5 ton. Powered by solid fuel, the rocket accelerates to speeds of approx. 4 Mach and neutralizes enemy objects using a warhead weighing approx. 310 lbs. The maximum range achieved by this type of missile is approx. 45 miles.
