US President Joe Biden has made a big decision before leaving office. President Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack Russian targets. America itself has given these missiles to Ukraine. The New York Times quoted US officials as saying the missiles could be used to defend Ukrainian forces against Russian and North Korean attacks in western Russia's Kursk region.
Trump's Republican Party has expressed displeasure over this decision of Biden. Donald Trump's eldest son, Trump Jr., who has a major influence in the Trump 2.0 cabinet, has strongly reacted to Biden's decision. “Before my father has a chance to make peace, the bells of World War III are looming,” Trump Jr. said. The military industrial complex wants to ensure that World War III begins.
Attack-dams: One missile of 12 crores, range 300 km
- Decision: Ukraine can now use the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). The short name of this missile is Attack-Dames. Now Ukraine has got the attack button. Why not before: Biden previously did not authorize an attack on Ukraine with American-made ATACMS missiles because he feared the war would escalate. But now Ukraine is allowed to take Kursk.
- Range: The Attack-Dams missile system is a ground-attack ballistic missile. The missile can hit targets up to 300 km (186 miles) away. The cost of the missile is approximately Rs 12.66 crore.
- Missile Features: Manufactured by US defense company Lockheed Martin, these missiles are fired from either the tracked M-270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) or the wheeled M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMRAS).
- Why Deadly: These missiles are powered by a special rocket propellant and have a high speed. It is very difficult to prevent it in the air.
- Double Warhead Mode: This missile can be used with 2 different types of warheads.
- First cluster: Contains hundreds of bomblets, meant to destroy lightly armored vehicles and tanks over a wide area. It may include parked aircraft, air defense and deployment of troops.
- Second single warhead: 225 kg high explosive version – designed to destroy hardened facilities and large structures.
- Never used before: America has been using this missile for many decades. It was first used in the 1991 Gulf War. When the US used it against Iraq in the Desert Storm campaign.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
