UK to Give Ukraine More Advanced Rocket Systems

The UK will provide Ukraine with M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). 

“Great Britain decided to double the number of M270 MLRS. London wants to send three M270 MLRS and ammunition for them,” UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC.

The UK has already provided three launchers similar to the American HIMARS systems, which use the same missiles with a range of up to 80 kilometers.

Wallace told the BBC that he will now send three more to Ukraine and a “significant” number of missiles.

According to him, these high-precision weapons have already helped Ukraine to destroy Russian ammunition supplies and command centers.

He added that Britain was “very pleased” with Ukraine’s use of missile launchers already provided by the West. According to him, the Ukrainian armed forces have shown that they are much better at reaching targets to hit so that they do not quickly run out of ammunition.

The UK minister also underlined that this is part of Ukraine’s transition from applying outdated weapons used in the Soviet Union to more modern, powerful NATO weapons.

“Our continued support sends a very clear message: Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand side by side in providing defensive military assistance to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Putin’s invasion,” Wallace said.

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Military expert Serhiy Hrabsky recently said that to turn the tide of the war and defeat the Russian army, Ukraine needs at least 300 new-generation volley fire systems, including HIMARS or M270 MLRS.

“Speaking about the weapons that we desperately need, then at different phases of the war we will need roughly up to 1,000 armored combat vehicles of various classes, up to 500 of the latest self-propelled and towed artillery systems, as well as at least 300 new generation volley fire systems, including HIMARS or M270 MLRS. However, these are only our preliminary calculations,” Hrabsky said on July 14.

The M270 MLRS is a universal launcher used as an MLRS and a tactical missile launcher. The first M270s arrived in Ukraine on July 14.