Patriot lesions: why the Russian army was able to strike an accurate blow and how to avoid it in the future
The battery includes four M901 starting installations, fire control radar and command point, plus security machine. On March 9, as a result of the defendants of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile battery column near the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, about 50 km from the front line, two M901 launchers and several MIM-104 anti-aircraft missiles were destroyed. According to Censor. net, 9 Ukrainian servicemen were killed.
Since the radar and command post have survived, battery combat can be restored soon, launchers can send new ones, but replace qualified and motivated operators, some of which have been very successfully undergoing long -term training at NATO leading training centers, unfortunately, we will no longer be able to. Sincere condolences to the families of heroes, whose account is several Russian aircraft.
Video from the drone that has released the enemy and the information of our sources make a postoperative analysis to prevent the repetition of such tragedies that seriously undermine Ukraine's defense capability. The strike was caused by three Iskander ballistic missiles under the correction of SuperCam's reconnaissance drone. The starting installations stood in the open place in the column and did not move. No means of masking on machines is noticeable.
The cost of the M901-$ 10 million, the cost of the MIM-104 PAC-3 anti-aircraft missile-$ 4 million. What factors contributed to the search for the anti-aircraft missile system and allowed to accurately strike? Conclusions: The responsibility for the defeat of the Patriot starting installations is fully commanded by the Air Force Command, in part-the battery command, which did not have time to remove personnel and equipment from the impact.
Standing in the open place in the area of actions of the enemy drones is deadly, I ask the servicemen to never wait for the team for traffic, but to act on the situation, not to allow accumulations, not to stand. This is not the first case of shelling of the Russians Patriot positions, and cases of absolutely unclear long stay in positions, delayed maneuver, unfortunately, is not the first time.
But the conclusions have not yet been drawn, and therefore, it is natural that the lack of postoperative analysis was the tragedy on March 9 near Pokrovsk. The war does not forgive unbuzzy lessons. I hope that finally the conclusions will be made and the troops will receive accurate orders, and in the tactics of combat use and in ensuring the operation of air defense, systemic changes will finally begin. The author expresses a personal opinion that may not coincide with the editorial position.