Ukrainian strikes devastate Russian airbase with advanced missiles

For months, Ukrainians have been attacking Russian airports with MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles or drones to erode the Russian potential for attacking ground targets with guided bombs from the FAB family. The other target is medium-range anti-aircraft systems like the S-300 or S-400.

The Saki airport, like Dzhankoy, is a key location from which Russians can conduct air strikes on Ukrainian territory. These locations had already been attacked, but evidently, there were justifiable targets on the night of July 24-25, warranting another strike.

According to the portal Militarnyj, AGM-140 ATACMS missiles hit the airport premises and the area around the village of Shturvkovski, where a radar of the anti-aircraft system was reportedly struck. Meanwhile, concerning the airport, at least an ammunition depot was hit, and two soldiers died. The losses could be higher, but without satellite imagery, it's impossible to gauge the scale of the damage.

Before the attack, 16 airplanes were reportedly stationed at the airport, although they might have been evacuated by the pilots. It is worth noting that with ballistic missiles, the time from launch to impact over a distance of 186 miles is just a matter of minutes.

MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missiles were introduced into service in the U.S. Army in the 1990s. Depending on the version, they have a range of about 103 miles or 186 miles.

Ukraine has mostly used M39 missiles with a range of 103 miles or M39A1 with a range of 186 miles, both equipped with cluster warheads. The former contains a payload of 950 M74 APAM bomblets, while the latter has 300 bomblets but includes a larger fuel reserve.

Both missiles are known for similar guidance systems, with the M39 using less precise inertial navigation and the M39A1 supplemented with a GPS module, offering greater precision. While Russians have learned to jam GPS signals, in the case of the ATACMS, especially the cluster variant, a deviation of a few tens of meters is not as significant a problem as it is with artillery shells.

The main hit mechanism of the cluster variants of MGM-140 ATACMS missiles is M74 APAM bomblets, which resemble balls weighing 1.3 pounds and having a diameter of 2 inches. Their casing is made of tungsten, which, upon explosion, generates fragments capable of penetrating bulletproof vests. In addition to the explosive material, there is also incendiary material inside the casing that, when dispersed during the explosion, is intended to cause fires.

As a result, practically nothing is left intact in the impact area, and safe shelter can only be found inside an armored vehicle. Defense against these missiles, capable of flying at Mach 3 (2,299 mph), is very difficult, and even the best Russian anti-aircraft systems, S-400 Triumph, can't cope with them.