Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced additional security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs. This announcement is the Biden Administration’s forty-sixth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. This package includes: additional air defense equipment; artillery munitions; anti-tank weapons, including depleted uranium rounds for previously committed Abrams tanks; and other equipment to help Ukraine counter Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.
The capabilities in this package, valued at up to $175 million, include:
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Equipment to support Ukraine’s air defense systems;
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Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
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155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
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81mm mortars systems and rounds;
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120mm depleted uranium tank ammunition for Abrams tanks;
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Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
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Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
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Over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition;
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Tactical air navigation systems;
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Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;
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Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing; and
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Spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment.
This security assistance package will utilize assistance previously authorized under Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine that remained after the PDA revaluation process concluded in June.
The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.
Putin hates to see it!
I had no idea TOW and AT-4 were still in service.
TOW are M2 Bradley standard missile.
As dumb as the TOW missile is, it is immune to electronic warfare. Just shoot the rocket out with… erm… a cable… and use the cable to steer it. No radio, immune to electronic warfare. And unlike Javelin, TOW means its immune to thermal smoke-screens as well (IIRC, the gunner can still manually steer the TOW missile, so they can guess where the enemy tank is hiding inside the smoke), so its a very reliable missile, as stupid as its design is. (Stupid simple, KISS stupid, a good thing).
AT4 is incredibly shitty but is lightweight. You can carry 3 or 4 AT4 at a time in practice, or like 2x AT4 + 1x main gun. AT4 is the kind of shitty weapon you give everyone “just in case” a tank shows up.
Its like giving an infantry-man a knife. Yeah… you probably shouldn’t plan on using the knife in combat, but we all know it happens anyway. If you get surprised at short range, the knife is useful. Similarly, the AT4 is when a tank surprises you. At least you have “something” to fight the tank, even if its not a very good weapon nominally. The key is lightweight and easy to carry, since its a side-arm not a main weapon.
The AT4 is basically the smallest you can make an antitank weapon that still does damage. (Its definitely so small that you’ve only got a “chance” of disabling the tank though, so you still shouldn’t rely upon it). Small size and lightweight is the key, and… really there’s other vehicles out there that the AT4 is very much useful for (scout cards, IFVs, armored transports, fuel trucks, etc. etc.). Even if its unreliable vs tanks, its still reliable against lesser armor.
for old tech, sounds ok compared to the ancient navy guns Russia mounted to ground vehicles unable to stabilise them
AT4 is incredibly shitty but is lightweight.
Given both sides have been seen using the Maxim/PM1910, I think everything is relative. IRC some have even been attached to drones and used to shoot down Iranian Shaheds.
Its like giving an infantry-man a knife. Yeah… you probably shouldn’t plan on using the knife in combat, but we all know it happens anyway.
IRC a bayonet charge was used on at least one occasion in Afghanistan, so very very true. Obviously no one wants that, but it’s war. War is messy and as you say shit happens.
Obviously the reality of war is horrible, but I do find it slightly funny that when I was a kid, we used to laugh at pikemen being able to defend a city against a tank in Sid Meier’s Civilisation. The reality of course, is that it’s less far from the truth than you’d initially think (although AFAIK no one’s ever taken down a tank with a pointy stick).
we used to laugh at pikemen being able to defend a city against a tank in Sid Meier’s Civilisation
A Japanese WW2 Lunge Mine you say? (And yes, this is yet another suicide weapon Japan actually employed.)
Keep those magazines full! Can never have enough ammo!
