Ukraine destroys Russia’s $250 million radar system hours after its first deployment

Europe, News January 6, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

Ukraine’s special forces struck Russia’s new and expensive 1K148 Yastreb-AV counter-battery radar system only hours after Russian forces announced its deployment on the battlefield. Ukrainian forces used the U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to destroy the target.

Russian Defense Ministry announced on January 2, 2024, that the latest Yastred-AV radar system has been deployed on the battlefield inside the captured territories. In the announcement, the Defense Ministry also touted that the Yastreb-AV is the “most modern Russian radar system with a phased array antenna for reconnaissance of artillery firing positions.”

Russia’s state-owned media outlet reported that the system was tested in late 2021 or early 2022. The estimated cost of each unit has been determined to be around $250 million. Just hours after the announcement of its deployment, it was hit hard by the very threat it was supposed to counter.

Kyiv published a video of the strike on multiple social media channels. The clips indicate that the system took significant damage and burned down following the attack. In the footage, someone can be seen fleeing the scene in the aftermath as the radar system smolders. Neither the Ukrainian forces nor the Russian Defense Ministry specified the location of the radar system.

A counter-battery radar system, like Russia’s Yastreb-AV, is a specialized type of radar designed for detecting and tracking enemy artillery and rocket fire. The primary purpose of these systems is to locate the position of hostile artillery units and provide timely information to enable effective counter-fire. Counter-battery radar systems play a crucial role in modern military operations, enhancing the ability of armed forces to quickly respond to incoming artillery threats.

Ukraine destroyed Russian Yastreb-AV radar system — *^{The Russian Yastreb-AV radar system in the camera of the Ukrainian drone. (Image Credit: Ukrainian Military/screenshot taken by IRIA)}*

These radar systems operate by detecting the distinctive acoustic or ballistic signatures of enemy artillery rounds in flight. By analyzing the trajectory and speed of incoming projectiles, the counter-battery radar can calculate the point of origin for the firing. This information is then relayed to artillery units or other weapon systems, allowing them to target and neutralize the threat.

The effectiveness of counter-battery radar systems lies in their ability to rapidly detect and locate hostile artillery positions, thereby minimizing the risk of damage. These systems are an integral part of modern artillery defense strategies, providing a valuable tool for force protection and operational success on the battlefield.

Until now Moscow has been relying on the Zoopark-1M radar system, which has become a strategic concern due to its susceptibility to detection, primarily stemming from its active electromagnetic signature.

This vulnerability has made the Zoopark-1M an easy target on the battlefield, with Ukrainian forces successfully neutralizing critical radars on several occasions. Based on some internal intelligence reports by Western officials, Russia is facing a “worsening shortage” of radar systems, highlighting a potential vulnerability in Moscow’s defense capabilities.