Outranging HIMARS, Russia Bets Big On Its Tornado-S & Lancet Loitering Munitions To Deflate Ukraine’s MLRS
Russian military expert Yuri Knutov said in an
interview on November 23 that “if we talk about HIMARS, then our Tornado-S systems with a firing range of 120 kilometers and the ability to direct each missile individually have already gone to the front line. They are much more powerful than HIMARS.”
Russian media has been claiming that the Western stockpiles of ammunition were nearly depleted, causing concern in Kyiv about the future of its military supplies. At the same time, Russian officials and military experts refuted reports of Russia’s empty stocks.
Another Russian military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia that the production of new artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems has increased.
For example, the Tornado-S MLRS, before the Special Military operation in the army, had 20 units. Now there are more of them. This system is similar to HIMARS but much better in many respects. This is a powerful MLRS, which you need to saturate the troops.”
Russia’s Tornado-S, like the American HIMARS, is a Multiple Launch Rocket System used to strike targets at longer ranges and inside the enemy territories.
The US M142 HIMARS is considered inferior in function to the Tornado-S. For instance, US M142 HIMARS can fire six GPS-guided 227mm rockets that can reach 80 kilometers and are accurate within five to ten meters.
In contrast, Russian ground forces 9A54 Tornado-S systems can fire twelve 300mm GLONASS-guided rockets at 120 kilometers with the same accuracy as HIMARS. Besides, the Tornado-S has a reduced launch readiness time of just three minutes, making it much faster and more effective. In addition, it also has new and improved payloads.
The Russian troops employed Tornado-S systems during the war in Donbas and again in the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These systems give Russia the same advantage as HIMARS gives to the Ukrainians.
Russia will force Ukraine to move its ammunition depots far into the rear and render its supply lines vulnerable, as happened with Russia at the hands of Kyiv.