Russian media shared photos of the fragments hours after at least two British Storm Shadow missiles hit Russian targets 80 miles behind the front line.
The long-range missiles have more than tripled the range of Ukraine’s firepower to 180 miles, allowing it to hit any target within its territory, including occupied Crimea.
And analysts said that, used in conjunction with MALD decoys, Storm Shadow missiles will wreak havoc.
On Thursday Ben Wallace, the defense secretary, confirmed that Britain was sending Storm Shadow missiles to bolster Ukraine’s anticipated counter-offensive.
Paolo Díaz, editor-in-chief of aviation website Aviacionline, explained that MALD missiles were created by the West to penetrate “robust radar-guided” air defense systems after the 1991 Gulf War.
“Their deployment can provide a substantial advantage to the operator, proving their worth in the complex dynamics of modern warfare,” he said.
Multiple ‘swarm’ missiles
Raytheon, the US arms producer, makes the MALD missiles. The decoys do not carry a warhead and are instead loaded with sophisticated electronics that allow them to mimic an aircraft or missile.
They are intentionally small, weighing only around 45kg, so a single fighter jet can launch multiple missiles as a “swarm”.
In a promotional video, Raytheon explained that MALDs are fired before conventional missiles or fighter jets to confuse and expose air defense systems. They exhaust air defense systems by loitering, distracting them from the actual target.
“With the downgrading of the advanced air defense threat, previously vulnerable attack aircraft (and missiles) can now conduct an offensive operation with impunity,” Raytheon’s promotional video reads.
According to military websites, the MALD missile was only introduced to the US military in 2014.
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