The Ukrainian armed forces have reportedly begun deploy SS-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missiles in opposition to Russian forces, a day after Russia initiated army operations in Ukraine on the morning of February 24. In keeping with Western and Russian sources, the goal was a Russian army airfield round 15km from the Ukrainian border, though it stays unsure what number of missiles have been fired, whether or not they hit their targets, or the extent of the harm if any. The army facility focused hosted two squadrons Su-30SM heavyweight fighters deployed underneath the thirty first Guards fighter aviation regiment. The bottom falls underneath the Russian Navy’s Southern Navy District. The Su-30SM, alongside the Su-34 strike fighter, is without doubt one of the most generally fielded Russian fighters in service, and is taken into account prone to have performed an essential position within the air marketing campaign in Ukraine. The missile is derived from the identical airframe because the Su-27S Flankers within the Ukrainian Air Pressure, however technologically is 25 years forward with overwhelming benefits in sensors, avionics, building supplies, vary and armaments. In contrast to the Su-27, the Su-30SM was designed with a normal twin seat configuration and with avionics optimised to air to floor and anti transport roles in addition to air to air fight, with the second seat accommodating a weapons techniques officer.
Though thought of old-fashioned by the Nineteen Eighties in comparison with extra fashionable Soviet tactical missile designs, the Tochka was the one one the survive arms discount treaties of the Nineteen Eighties and was inherited in appreciable numbers by Russia and Ukraine. The Russian Navy has since phased the missiles, alongside the longer ranged Scud missiles, out fo service in favour of the rather more succesful Iskander platform. The Tochka has lately seen use solely in Syrian service, the place it was utilized in 2021 to focus on Turkish-backed jihadist militants illegally appropriating oil for dispatch to Turkey, with Syria additionally deploying an improved North Korean spinoff the KN-02 Toksa. The Soviet Tochka missile is the one one with a ballistic trajectory in Ukrainian service, and makes use of a strong gasoline composite facilitating a brief launch time. Its lack of manoeuvrability or different fashionable countermeasures in opposition to interception, and its quick 185km vary, stay main shortcomings notably in opposition to Russia’s multi-layered air defence community.
