Russian know-how: American STARLINK vs. American HYMARS

Near the village of Novobakhmetevo, almost 60 km (37 miles) from the front line in Ukraine, a Russian Geran 2, specially modified drone, destroyed a mobile, HIMARS launcher. Modern drone warfare is fast evolving, and Russia is keeping up with technology changes, although it lacks critical components, writes Stephen Bryen, a former Deputy Under U.S. Secretary of Defense.

HIMARS is one of the best US systems deeded to Ukraine. The HIMARS carries one pod with either six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets or one ATACMS missile. The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) 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. ATACMS missiles are fired from the HIMARS and MLRS M270 platforms. ATACMS has a range of around 300 km (186 miles).

In practice this means that the best answer to the ATACMS threat for the Russians is to locate and destroy ATACMS launchers. The Russians can do this with heavy strike weapons such as Iskander-M missiles, provided the ATACMS is not on the move.

The Russians have tried a number of solutions, but the two that seem most effective are drones equipped with artificial intelligence or drones equipped with non-jammable electronics, or ideally both.

Russian drones are also showing up with non-jammable electronics including airborne modems and modem antennas that are jam resistant. But the most significant development is that Russian drones are appearing with STARLINK terminals.

The latest two successful strikes on HIMARS launchers were carried out by Russian drones with STARLINK terminals. This was done by a Geran 2 derivative drone with a mini-STARLINK terminal. It used the terminal which fed back high quality imagery to the drone operators and special sensors and electronics that work with terrain mapping, sensors to pick up thermal heat blooms, and the ability to sniff out radar signatures, all of which can be glued together by the drone operator to make sure he is attacking a real HIMARS launcher and not a fake or dummy.

STARLINK is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 150 countries and territories. STARLINK is the backbone of Ukraine’s military communications. STARLINK is the invention of Elon Musk.

Exactly how the Russians were able to get live connectivity accounts from STARLINK remains unknown. We do not know how many STARLINKS are in Russia’s hands.

China has outlawed STARLINK and is developing ways to jam or destroy STARLINK satellites while working on its own alternative satellite clusters for its massive drone arsenal.

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