The US does not transfer ATACMS missiles to Ukraine because it has few to spare
15 February, 2023 M142 HIMARS and ATACMS missiles. Photo credits: Mariusz Burcz The United States is not ready to provide Ukraine with MGM-140 ATACMS missiles due to the lack of excess of these weapons in the US military reserves.
Politico reported this with reference to its own sources. The US military leadership is concerned that transferring ATACMS missiles would dwindle America's stockpiles and harm the U.S. military's readiness for a future fight. During the recent meetings at the Pentagon, U.S. officials told Ukrainian representatives that the current stock of ATACMS is not that large, so providing Ukraine with these munitions could harm US military readiness in the future.
"With any package, we always consider our readiness and our own stocks while providing Ukraine what it needs on the battlefield. There are other ways of providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to strike the targets," an anonymous senior DoD official shared.
The ATACMS missile was launched from the M270 rocket launcher of the Korean military. Photo credits: alamy
Also, according to media sources, the United States is concerned that Ukraine would use long-range missiles to attack deep inside Russian territory, and this, in their opinion, could be a crossing of the "red line."
According to another Politico source, Kyiv is also considering the idea of obtaining permission from Washington to purchase ATACMS missiles from one of the countries that operates these weapons. Ukraine has long insisted on receiving ATACMS missiles from the USA, which can be used to hit targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. Until now, Western allies have refused to transfer these weapons to Ukraine, fearing an increase in "escalation" on the part of Russia.
ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missile system. Photo credits: U.S. Department of Defense
The ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missile system is designed to hit point targets such as command posts, missile launchers, air defense facilities, communication nodes, and depots located deep within the enemy's defenses.
In addition, ATACMS can operate in all weather conditions and at any time of the day.
The M270 and M142 launch ATACMS.
Photos from open sources
The M270 and M142 launchers are used to launch the missile.
The system has an MGM-140B missile with a maximum flight range of up to 300.
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