ATACMS

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Context:

• The United States has confirmed providing long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine to aid its war effort against Russia.

What is the ATACMS system?

• It is a conventional surface-to-surface artillery weapon system capable of striking targets well beyond the range of existing Army cannons, rockets, and other missiles.
• Its maximum range is 300km.
• These missiles are fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270 platforms, which were provided by the US and the United Kingdom earlier.

Previous experience

• This is not the first time that the ATACMS system has been delivered, although the earlier systems had much shorter ranges of around 160 km.
• For instance, in October 2023, the US provided missiles with cluster munitions. When fired, they would open in the air and release hundreds of “bomblets” rather than a single warhead, the Associated Press reported at the time

Why do the ATACMS matter, and why it has been sent now?

US and Ukraine gave the following reasons:

• Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, artillery, and air defense are critical tools for restoring just peace sooner.
• Ukraine needed them now, following reports that North Korea recently provided ballistic missiles to Russia. These follow a projectile path and have a long range.
• North Korean weapons were also referenced the last time the US provided the short-range cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Status of Ukraine- Russia War:

• The Ukraine-Russia war has continued since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
• Russia achieved a significant victory by capturing Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine in February of this year.
• Russia's military forces greatly outnumber Ukraine's and Ukrainian President frequently appeals for aid from the US and Europe.
• The US President has been supportive of providing aid to Ukraine and emphasized that the aid Bill, which also included provisions for Taiwan and Israel, enhances America's and the world's security.
• However, many Republican leaders have opposed increased aid for Ukraine and the Bill in general.

US Aid Bill ●The aid package, passed by the Senate worth $95 billion in total, includes nearly $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific. ●The package also includes a bill that could eventually lead to the banning of TikTok in the United States - giving Chinese parent company ByteDance roughly nine months to sell it or else it will be banned from app stores in the United States. ●Among the capabilities included in the new package is ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, RIM-7 and AIM-9M air defense missiles, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and more. It also includes various logistics and tactical vehicles, anti-armor systems, training munitions and spare parts, and small arms ammunition including .50 caliber rounds to counter drones.

For detailed background on the Russia- Ukraine war, read the following article:

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/swiss-summit-for-peace

Source:

Indian Express

PRACTICE QUESTION Q) Consider the following statements about the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missile: The ATACMS missile is a precision-guided, surface-to-surface missile system used by the United States Army. It is designed to provide long-range precision strike capabilities against high-value targets such as enemy command and control centers, air defense systems, and troop concentrations. The ATACMS missile has a maximum range of approximately 900 kilometers. It is launched from the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270 and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) platforms, providing the flexibility to deploy and engage targets from various locations. How many of the above statements are correct? a) Only one b) Only Two c) Only Three d) All Four Correct Answer: c)