Ukrainian aircrafts eliminate Russian military bases with advanced NATO-standard bombs and missiles

Ukrainian strike aircraft hit a Russian drone base with advanced NATO standard bombs and missiles in the Ukrainian Air Force's first-ever combat use of those precision-guided weapons in a single, combined attack. The Ukrainian planes launched France-manufactured Scalp cruise missiles and dropped US-manufactured GB-39s to hit buildings in Russian-occupied territory in eastern Ukraine near the Donetsk airport, reportedly damaging a strategic drone depot and inflicting casualties, according to Kyiv Post media outlet. Ukraine's general staff said top three or four explosions hitting badly damaged buildings geolocated at the airport. One detonation showed possible signs of an internal blast characteristic of the detonation of a Scalp missile penetrator warhead. Another blast was visually similar to secondary explosions typical of stored ammunition blowing up. According to the general staff statement, the attack hit a Russian drone unit and facilities used by it to launch Shahid drones at civilian targets inside Ukraine. Confirmed Shahid launches had taken place from that site in the past. There was no direct confirmation of the general staff claim. Mainstream Ukrainian media and some Russian millbloggers reported the rare bomb-plus-missile airstrike had in fact taken place and that a Shahid base had been hit. France first announced it was transferring Scalp-EG cruise missiles to Ukraine in May 2023. The first Ukrainian combat use of the weapon, designed to penetrate deeply into a target before exploding, was in August 2023, in that strike by a Soviet-era Su-24 fighter-bomber. An advanced missile with terrain-following capability and strong resistance to electronic warfare jamming and spoofing, the Scalp and its British twin Storm Shadow are probably the most accurate precision-guided missiles in the Ukrainian Air Force's arsenal. Kyiv has received only 50 to 100 of the weapons in total and has used them only in attacks against very high-priority targets. The publicly divulged range of Scalp-Storm Shadow is 250-plus kilometers for the export model. The Tuesday French cruise missile attack hitting Donetsk airport, according to the GS, was paired with strikes by Boeing-manufactured Jibu-39 bombs, a self-guiding glide bomb developed for the US military and used extensively in Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently in Iran. When released at high altitude, the bomb can glide up to 110 kilometers and uses inertial guidance and GPS navigation to reliably hit a target within 5 to 8 meters of its desired mean point of impact. With crypto keys loaded by specialized ground equipment, it would use enhanced differential GPS to spare a target within 1 meter of its DMPI. The Jibu-39 uses the small-diameter bomb with the ability to penetrate up to 1 meter of steel reinforced concrete under 1 meter of soil. With a warhead weight of 93 kilograms with just 16 kilograms of an advanced dual-purpose explosive fill. With a cockpit-selectable fuse to command an airburst option for increased blast and fragmentation damage or penetration to the interior of a hardened target, which requires a larger casing-to-explosive ratio than a general purpose bomb. Intense Ukrainian and even NATO air activity proceeded, coincided with and followed the Donetsk airport attack. Estonia has ordered three additional HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems from the United States, with delivery expected next year, Defense Express reported, noting that the delivery timeline is significantly shorter than previously anticipated. Meanwhile, the Estonian Center for Defense Investments signed an $11 million agreement with Lockheed Martin to develop the country's defense industry. The deal includes plans to establish a HIMARS service center in the country. At the same time, the total order for American systems was reduced from six to three units, and their delivery dates were pushed back from 2028-2029 to 2027. Estonia previously purchased six South Korean K-239 Chunmoo MLRS due to delays in deliveries from the United States. DE experts believe that the combination of these systems will significantly enhance the country's military potential and pose a real threat to Russian forces in the region, particularly the Russian fleet in St. Petersburg, which is easily accessible by the aforementioned MLRS. Previously, Estonia promised to attack Russia with American weapons in the event of aggression. As part of the Baltic Shield program, Tallinn signed an agreement with the United States to supply long-range ATACMS missiles and HIMARS systems. These weapons are capable of striking targets hundreds of kilometers deep into Russian territory. If Russia decides to attack us or our allies, the response will be immediate and devastating, the Estonian Defense Ministry representative emphasized. American allies supported this line. The delivery of ATACMS and HIMARS to Estonia is not just a deal, it's a signal to the Kremlin. Any attack will have a price, a Pentagon spokesperson stated. Experts note that the new weapons radically alter the balance of power in the region. Estonia gains the ability to target the enemy's most important military installations. This is a quantum leap for the defense of the Baltic states, the analysts comment. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and constant threats from Moscow, Tallinn is demonstrating that it is ready not only to defend itself but also to strike back. The US presidential administration has already notified Congress that Estonia intends to expand the arms purchase agreement by quadrupling the number of ATACMS missiles and doubling the number of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems. The sum in question is $4.73 billion, amid the Kremlin's constant provocations against Estonia, the Kyiv Post reports. The source clarifies that the expansion of the deal increased the final purchase price by $500 million. While in 2022 Estonia requested only six HIMARS systems from the US, the new agreement provides for 12. Regarding ATACMS, the decision was also revised to increase the delivery volume. Instead of the original 18 containers, 200 are now requested. This concerns missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers. The agreement also includes the purchase of GMLRS. While Estonia wanted only 144 missile containers in 2022, it now requires 1,000. Experts note that HIMARS and ATACMS will provide Estonia with a reliable strike capability deep into Russian territory, as well as allow it to target the Kremlin's logistics and military infrastructure. Moreover, this deal confirms the Estonian government's intention to arm itself to the teeth and spare no expense from the country's budget. Moscow has already responded. The Kremlin, as usual, called Estonia's actions a provocation and an escalation of tensions. The Estonian Foreign Ministry accused NATO of militarizing the region and threatened retaliatory measures. Russian propaganda channels went even further, claiming that Estonia has become a springboard for an attack on Russia.