Will British missiles replace US HIMARS to 'dominate' the Ukrainian battlefield?

According to Business Insider, Russian forces have adapted to weapons believed to be "game-changing" that Ukraine has introduced to the battlefield, such as the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

However, military experts believe that the Storm Shadow missiles that Britain pledged to send to Ukraine earlier this month could create new logistical problems for Russia and significantly enhance Kyiv's long-range strike capabilities, Breaking Defense reports.

US Colonel: 600 Western weapons systems will give Ukraine the strength to counterattack.

The power of Storm Shadow

Storm Shadow, an air-launched cruise missile developed in collaboration with France, has combat experience in various conflicts across the Middle East. When launched from an aircraft, this type of missile flies at low altitudes and avoids detection, according to Business Insider.

Storm Shadow cruise missiles are mounted under the fuselage of the Tornado GR4 aircraft.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

With a range of over 155 miles (250 km), Storm Shadow has three times the range of HIMARS, and is only 30 miles less than the US-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Furthermore, it can reach areas controlled by Russia in Ukraine, according to the Ukrinform news agency.

George Barros, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW, USA), believes this will have a significant impact on the operations of Russian forces on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, according to Jack Watling, a senior researcher on land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (UK), deploying the Storm Shadow to the battlefield would address "serious tactical challenges" currently facing Ukraine. According to this expert, the missile's warhead can penetrate fortified targets, while its stealth capabilities would make it difficult to detect and intercept.

Russia claims for the first time that it shot down a Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile that Britain provided to Ukraine.

"These missiles will help Ukraine strike command and control stations, logistics facilities, and troop concentrations of Russian soldiers," U.S. Rear Admiral Tim Woods told Breaking Defense in an interview on May 15.

Accordingly, Watling argues that Ukraine's deployment of British missiles will force Russia to move its logistics centers further away from the front lines, as well as reorganize its air defense systems. The expert predicts that Storm Shadow will also cause Russia to shift its offensive tactics to a defensive one in order to preserve its forces and equipment against potential Ukrainian counterattacks.

The Storm Shadow missile was displayed at the Farnborough Airshow in 2018.

Furthermore, Ukraine could also use Storm Shadow missiles to distract Russia's priorities. Specifically, it would make Moscow's senior commanders feel more "insecure" because they are within Kyiv's firing range.

Expert Watling noted that making Russian commanders "fear for their personal safety" is an effective way to impair their concentration and decision-making on the battlefield. According to him, if the capabilities of the Storm Shadow are combined with psychological tactics, this weapon would give Ukraine a huge advantage. "The mere existence of the Storm Shadow in Ukraine's arsenal could be as important as deploying it," he said.

The effectiveness of HIMARS in Ukraine: Russia and the US in a "cat and mouse" game.

Will the US follow in the UK's footsteps?

The delivery of Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine comes at a time when Kyiv is preparing for a highly planned counteroffensive in the east and south. According to Business Insider, this has raised questions about whether the administration of US President Joe Biden will provide ATACMS to Ukraine.

If the US does indeed send ATACMS, this wouldn't be the first time the US has followed its European allies in providing aid to Ukraine. Earlier this year, the UK's confirmation that it would provide Challenger main battle tanks to Ukraine paved the way for Germany and the US to send Leopard and M1 Abrams tanks to Kyiv.

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