Watch Four HIMARS Rocket Systems Launch 24 Rockets Simultaneously – Incredible footage of U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems being used by the Ukrainian military was released this week, showing four of the weapons firing almost simultaneously. The video footage, recorded during the daytime and embedded below, offers a crystal clear look at how the weapons work.
Four M142 HIMARS can be seen launching rockets within milliseconds of one another. The HIMARS is seen positioned in a wheat field in Ukraine, and as the rockets launch, the camera pans to the sky and shows streams of white smoke left behind by the rockets traveling at great speed into the sky.
#Ukraine: Rare footage of no less than four M142 HIMARS in action, firing 24 M31A1 GMLRS unitary rockets at Russian targets.
This footage is notable not just for the quantity but also the daytime usage of HIMARS. Note the Ukrainian soldier with possible MANPADS to the left. pic.twitter.com/bHQKQM2fiG
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) August 3, 2022
Popular English-language war analysis account Ukraine Weapons Tracker shared the footage on Twitter, revealing that the HIMARS rocket systems had fired 24 M31A1 GMLRS unitary rockets at Russian positions.
“This footage is notable not just for the quantity but also the daytime usage of HIMARS,” the account notes.
The account also points out a soldier to the left of the video, watching the rockets from a safe distance.
“Note the Ukrainian soldier with possible MANPADS to the left,” the post reads, referring to man-portable air-defense systems, a kind of portable surface-to-air missile system that can be launched by a single soldier from over their shoulder.
Putin Running Scared Of U.S. Rocket Systems
In late July, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a cabinet meeting with senior Kremlin officials to discuss Ukraine’s increasing use of U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket systems. First delivered to Ukraine in June, the rocket systems have proven extremely effective for the Ukrainian military.
One dozen HIMARS were originally pledged to Ukraine by the White House, each of which can carry six guided rockets that boast a range of 40 miles. The rocket systems can also be loaded with a single Army Tactical Missile System that has a range of roughly 200 miles.
On August 1, the Pentagon announced a new $550 million aid package to Ukraine which includes several more HIMARS along with additional ammunition for the weapons.
Ukrainian officials say that the American HIMARS have allowed troops to kill a Russian general and destroy more than 50 Russian ammunition depots – and experts say that the weapons have provided a mental boost for Ukrainian troops.
Marina Miron, a research fellow at King’s College London’s Center for Military Ethics, said that by sending more advanced weaponry to Ukraine, the West has given the Ukrainians “hope.” Miron also said that the weapons are hurting Russia’s progress in the Donbas and are having a “psychological impact” that is “demoralizing” for Russian soldiers.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
