Tomahawk missiles successfully used against Russian air defense in Syria – CCD
American long-range Tomahawk missiles successfully hit Russian air defense targets during the fighting in Syria in 2017-2018, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, has said.
"Packet launches of cruise missiles at airfields and facilities in Damascus and Homs showed that Russian and Syrian reports of mass shootdowns were mostly informational in nature - independent assessments confirmed that most of the ammunition reached its targets. Technically, the reason is simple: Tomahawk flies low, with complex combined navigation, its detection by radars gives seconds to react, so effective interception requires a dense network of low-horizon radars, instant transmission of target designations and synchronized operation of air defense systems - Russian systems then covered Syrian targets and did not achieve success," Kovalenko said on Telegram.
According to him, Tomahawk missiles are especially effective in batch launches, while overloading the air defense with various other targets increases the chance of success.
"Russian S-400 or Pantsir systems are weak against Tomahawk. It is important to develop our own massive and long-range means of destruction in order to create just such redundant strike logistics, and at the same time to intensify air defense reconnaissance and integration with partners - without a reliable detection network, any air defense easily turns into a propaganda tool, rather than a factor of real defense. The Russians can expect unpleasant surprises. They are to blame - they could have stopped the war," Kovalenko added.
