As much of a win as this is, there are any number of normal battlefield conditions and reasons this could’ve happened, that aren’t just “HAHA RUSSIAN MILITARY DUMB”
- Electronic warfare systems are typically cycled to allow friendly forces to use the spectrums they jam. These schedules are timed by counter-EW teams.
- Missles and bombs often have multiple guidance systems e.g. the GMLRS fired by HIMARS/M270 MLRS both GPS and intertial guidance systems.
- HARM (Anti-radiation missiles) could have been deployed to force the Russians to kill active radar systems of the SAM battery protecting this system.
- Laser guidance from special forces, or local partisan group, could have provided the targeting.
- The story itself could be part of an information or counter-intelligence operation to hide real means and methods used, or trick Russian military/intelligence.
And these are just a few reasons why while this is a win, should probably not be used as confirmation bias to underestimate Russia’s capabilities.
It doesn’t change that “HAHA RUSSIAN MILITARY DUMB” either though.
That’s just not accurate, and honestly, it’s dangerous.
Yes, the Russian military is deeply flawed and at times, comically tragic in its errors, but it’s still a lethal organization that has shown itself capable of learning and adapting.
That attitude is most concerning because the unsaid, but logical next point is, “then why hasn’t Ukraine won? Are they HAHA DUMB as well?”
You may not be thinking that, but that is what pumping that idea out into the ether leads to.
Yes, they have made mind boogling choices at times, but at other times, they’ve shown high levels competence and the ability to change and evolve their tactics, much to the detriment of Ukrainian forces.
Listen when adults speak to you
Was the jammer just a coat hangar, 9v battery, and aluminum tape?
No, but there are actually very low very cost, extremely dangerous and illegal, jammers you can make with not too much more. Basically they just burst shitloads of electrical power into the air that jamm up a surprisingly broad range of nearby RF spectrum.
This one cost about £4m to make.
By the time £3.999m has been siphoned off on
bribes and corruptionnecessary overheads, you should be happy with the coathanger and a car battery, comrade.Ok then £4m in the west. This is not a cheap piece of kit. It was a coo for Ukraine to take it out. Comrade. Try to be a bit more informed. There are plenty out there willing to give the information out.
It is mentioned in this video with more detail.
Was making a joke with you, about how much the Russian army loses in corruption and how their prices are not to be believed. Wasn’t having a go at you. Try to be a bit more chill?
You were taking a cheap shot at what you thought was a Russian opinion.
That “jammer” was definitely tampered with by the russkies’ corruption and greed.
I bet the jammers were unsophisticated enough you could just program the GPS to continue moving in the direction where the over the air noise levels kept increasing.
Depending on the range at which the signals start to become jammed, it could be possible to navigate solely by IMU for the final leg also.
This is exactly how it was done. The missile used can be set to measurement units and only needs GPS occasionally for precision. It was not relying on GPS totally. Ukraine are not going to waste an expensive GPS guided missile when they know it is going to be blocked near the target.
I’m not sure I follow you. If the missile is using gps for guidance(during at least part of it’s flight), then it is by definition a gps quided rocket is it not?
Also, gps quidance isnt terribly expensive. I use industrial grade units which go for about 3kusd and provide sub-metre accuracy in highly gnss denied enviroments. Lower grade ~3m accuracy units go for around a hundred dollars, and would be completely sufficient for hitting a target the size of a truck.
Yes it was (reputedly) a GPS weapon that took out the jammer. But it was one that had a back up option for when the GPS was being jammed. It did not just rely on one guidance system. I do not in any way shape or form profess to be an expert on these things. I am going from the opinions of those who are looking closely at stuff like this. Denys Davydov gives his opinion on what was used and why.
None of these missiles are cheap. Each one fired has a command structure behind it to make it an effective use of the hardware. Remembering Ukraine is under pressure from the US regarding good use of the funds being sent over. The rocket mentioned in the video was GMLRS Munitions. There are much more expensive options that could have been used, but they would not have been an effective use of the funds. This missile has an estimated cost of $225k. There is more to the missile than a single guidance system.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
For all the legitimate criticisms of Russian military, their EW and Counter-EW capabilities are actually world class. Which is why it is a big deal when they’re destroyed, or captured.
Second best army in Ukraine
Plot twist: the bombs used GLONASS.
Unlikely if it was a US provided munition.
That said, I generally assume that most English language articles use GPS as a stand-in for any GNSS constellation, regardless of which one, or combination of them, was actually used.
Although, there is a reason why the Russian pilots and drivers were photographed using off the shelf Garmin units… much like the rest of their military, GLONAS was a legacy Soviet project that hasn’t been well maintained or updated well post collapse.
This sounds like a gag from the Roadrunner cartoon.
