Ukraine forced to update Himars software after Russia jammed missiles

The first Himars systems arrived in Ukraine in June 2022 and had a direct impact on the battlefield. Photo: Hannibal Hanschke/Shutterstock

Ukraine was forced to update the software of its Himars missiles because Russian troops learned to jam their GPS guidance systems.

It is considered one of the most effective weapons in Ukraine and helps turn the tide of the war against Russia. , Himars have become less effective over the past few months, CNN told CNN, citing a group of US, British and Ukrainian sources.

One Pentagon source described the attempt to outmaneuver Russian electronic warfare experts ordered to confront Himars as game of cat and mouse.

The first Himars complexes arrived in Ukraine in June 2022 and had a direct impact on the battlefield. With a range of up to 60 miles — three times that of conventional artillery — they could hit Russian command headquarters and supply depots a few miles from the front line. recapturing Kremlin-held territory around Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine in August and the city of Kherson in November.

Ukraine is calling on the US to provide it with long-range military tactical missile systems, such as the one shown in South Korea. The United States resisted, fearing that Ukraine could use them to strike at Russia. Credit: Joe Yong Hak/Getty

An intelligence leak from the Pentagon this year revealed that the US and Ukraine placed «high emphasis» on tracking down and destroying Russian Zhitel R-330Zh jammers, which are often deployed on military trucks, on the eve of the sensational counter-offensive of Ukraine.

“We will continue to advocate/recommend that these jammers be deactivated/destroyed to the maximum extent possible,” the Pentagon intelligence leak document was quoted by CNN. Ukrainian special forces conducted missions deep into Russian-controlled territories to hunt down jamming systems and hand over their positions to artillery for destruction.

The leaked intelligence report also says the silencers disabled other «smart munitions». «, such as GPS-guided projectiles fired by howitzers and aerial bombs dropped by warplanes that were equipped with a US Direct Attack Ammunition Kit that turns standard unguided bombs into precision weapons.

Ukraine received at least at least 18 Khimar launchers, and the US has pledged to provide it with 20 more.

Ukraine's leadership is calling on the US to provide it with army long-range tactical missile systems (ATACMS) that have a range of 200 miles, but the US is resisting because that they fear that Ukraine could use them to strike at Russia, which would lead to an escalation of the war.