Russian jamming efforts have been making HIMARS rocket launchers less accurate, CNN reports. The US-made weapon system has become “increasingly less effective,” a source told the network, confirming that the Russians have found way to throw HIMARS rockets off course.
Russia has been using jamming techniques in recent months to make the US-supplied HIMARS mobile multiple rocket launchers miss their targets more frequently, CNN reported on Friday, citing five US, UK, and Ukrainian sources familiar with the matter. According to the network, these efforts are making GPS-guided munitions “increasingly less effective” in terms of accuracy.
The HIMARS, which can strike targets up to 50 miles (80km) away, is one of the most sophisticated weapon systems the US has provided to Kiev since Moscow launched its military operation in the neighboring state in February 2022.
A Ukrainian drone operator was quoted as describing the efforts to disrupt the work of HIMARS launchers as “significant,” and something he had not seen before last November. A Pentagon official described the process of finding new ways to combat Russia’s efforts to throw the rockets off course as “a constant cat-and-mouse game.”
A senior Pentagon official told CNN that the US has been helping the Ukrainians to fight the jamming by adjusting targeting software and “constant tweaking to get them to stay effective.” The official said updates have been made “as recently as this week.”
Kiev Complains That HIMARS Is Less Effective Because Of Russian EW Systems
The Kiev regime complains that the Russians knock down GPS targeting systems of US-supplied HIMARS rockets.
“Ukrainian military officials, with the US’ help, have had to come up with a variety of different workarounds as it continues to use the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) which has been perhaps the most revered and feared piece of weaponry in Ukraine’s fight.
The medium-range rocket systems were hailed as a game changer in the conflict. But in recent months, the systems have been rendered increasingly less effective by the Russians’ intensive blocking, five US, British and Ukrainian sources tell CNN, forcing US and Ukrainian officials to find ways to tweak the HIMARS’ software to counter the evolving Russian jamming efforts,” CNN claimed citing ‘multiple people briefed on matter’.
The allegedly leaked secret Pentagon documents cited by CNN also show that the United States helped Kyiv to detect Russian jammers and this is a “high priority” work.
GPS interference also affects other “smart” weapons supplied by the United States, such as Excalibur artillery shells and JDAM guided bombs, CNN added.
It should be noted that the increase of the usage of Russian EW systems in the conflict is an open secret. In particular, recently reports appeared that the Russians have carried out large-scale tests of EW systems in the region of Moscow.
The US has committed 38 HIMARS systems to Ukraine since the conflict broke out, according to the Pentagon and the State Department.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in January that lethal aid to Kiev has made NATO “directly involved in the hybrid war against Russia.” Officials in Moscow have accused Ukraine of using HIMARS and other Western-supplied weapons to indiscriminately fire at cities and kill civilians.
On Thursday, three people, including a six-year-old boy, were injured in Donetsk after the Donbass city was hit by HIMARS missiles, the local authorities said.