Ukrainian forces strike key Russian rocket fuel plant with rare missiles
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have confirmed an attack on the Russian "Kamensky Combine" facility located just 105 miles from the front line. Here's why this facility is crucial for the Russian defense industry.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed that on December 18, 2024, they attacked the Russian Kamensky Combine in the Rostov region. This plant has been one of the key chemical facilities for Russia since the Soviet era. The attack utilized a mix of Storm Shadow cruise missiles and MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles.
These are very rare means of attack in the Ukrainian arsenal, but they were deemed worthy of the target. The Kamensky Combine is a primary Russian producer of rocket fuel, supplying systems such as Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Topol-M and multiple rocket launchers, such as the BM-27 Uragan, BM-30 Smerch, and Tornado-S.
All these systems require solid rocket fuel, which consists of a solid body made of a powdered oxidizer and a combustible substance acting as a binder. Solid rocket fuel can be homogeneous, based on nitrocellulose, or heterogeneous, a mixture of various agents.
The Ukrainian drones are generally unsuitable for attacking heavily defended areas, and the Kamensky Combine is likely one such area. Therefore, Ukraine had to resort to weapons capable of penetrating Russian air defenses and hitting key targets. Storm Shadow cruise missiles and MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles were the only means available.
Storm Shadow — Ukraine's long arm from Europe
Storm Shadow missiles are air-launched (Su-24 in Ukraine's case) with a range of up to 311 miles (186 miles for export versions) and equipped with a 992-pound BROACH (Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented CHarge) warhead. This warhead consists of two components: a shaped charge for initially damaging the target's surface and a penetrating element.
The missile features a Multi-Application Fuze Initiation System (MAFIS), allowing a delay of up to 240 ms or setting it to detonate mid-air, dispersing fragments. It uses stealth technology, and its turbojet engine enables speeds of 0.8-0.9 Mach.
An intriguing aspect is its guidance system, which extends beyond the customary inertial and satellite navigation by incorporating a fourth-generation infrared sensor (IIR) that visualizes the thermal image of the target or terrain. This permits pinpoint accuracy and the ability to track the terrain, matching it with a pre-loaded map, which enhances navigation resilience against GPS jamming.
MGM-140 ATACMS — Russia's ballistic nightmare from the USA
Ukraine has been utilizing American MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles with notable success, with the earliest versions dating back to the 1990s. Until now, Ukrainians have targeted Russians with M39 missiles, which have a range of 103 miles and carry a payload of 950 M74 APAM bomblets.
However, it is possible that recent deliveries included M39A1 variants with a range of 186 miles and enhanced GPS guidance or models from the M48, M57, and M57E1 families. These variants possess a heavy WAU-23/B warhead weighing approximately 441 pounds, which is better suited for attacking fortified targets.
A significant advantage of ATACMS missiles is their speed, reaching Mach 3 (2,299 mph), and an attack profile that Russian anti-ballistic systems, including the latest S-400 Triumph, cannot counter.
