How A Ukrainian Shot Down Russian Attack 'Copter With Anti-Tank Weapon
As in so much of life and war, a combination of skill and luck counts. The shooter saw two Russian helicopters fly by but couldnt get his weapon ready in time. Fortunately, a third then flew into range - and he was ready.
He credits the intelligence of the weapon in target acquisition for most of that day's success. JL
Defense Express reports:
A Ukrainian ATGM operator hit a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter using an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank weapon. The soldier had no combat experience at all, and had to learn the ropes
in battle and learn from mistakes: "how to properly approach the
target, how to lock on it and how to choose a firing spot." Currently the commander of an ATGM company, he has since seen many battles in the eastern and southern parts of the country. The FGM-148 Javelin as a "very smart" weapon. Although
advertised as "fire-and-forget," the system is meticulous about
pre-launch target acquisition and doesn't even let the operator initiate
the launch until the target is locked.
The Ukrainian Navy has published an interview with Yevhen, an ATGM operator who landed the famed hit on a russian Ka-52 attack helicopter using an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank weapon. Defense Express has earlier discussed thetheoretical and practical aspectsof this shot, this time we'd like to highlight Yevhen's personal experience as it turns out, he enlisted as a volunteer for service already after the start of the russian invasion in 2022, just a year before his feat.
As he shared in the interview, Yevhen (in other sources known by his call sign Maiak) joined the military in April 2022, and after two months of training, became an anti-tank weapons operator. At first, the soldier had no combat experience at all, and had to learn the ropes in battle and learn from mistakes: "how to properly approach the target, how to lock on it, how to choose a firing spot, and so on."
Yevhen shows one of the Javelins he used to take down a russian T-72 / Defense Express / Meet the Ukrainian Missile Operator Who Took Down Ka-52 Helicopter with a Javelin
Currently the commander of an ATGM company, he has seen many battles, most notable in the eastern and then southern parts of the country.
When repelling the assaults on Avdiivka in spring 2023, he had to partake in risky missions in order to protect the infantry holding the defense lines. The city of the eastern front was by that time already half-encircled by the russian forces, and their assaults were coming one after another.
"We were covering the infantry, so that the enemy's armored combat vehicles didn't reach our infantry units. We had to go on sorties to various spots, put ourselves in danger but, on the other hand, we realized that if we don't strike that BTR (armored personnel carrier - ed.) or tank, they will get to our positions and eliminate our infantry. We had to make that decision and put ourselves in front of the infantry."
One time, he recalls, their unit faced a column of over a dozen russian armored vehicles and took down four of them, two tanks and two IFVs. The episode was even reportedin the media.
russian armored column on fire after a successful ambush by Yevhen and his comrades, photo published May 2023 / Photo credit: ArmyInform
In the south, in contrast, russian forces were more careful and only deployed on the spot for about 10 seconds to make a few shots and leave, leaving the ATGM groups no time to react. Theminefields were a problem, too, Yevhen says.
As for his Javelin and the famous strike, he adds a few previously unknown details about the episode that still amazes almost a year later. Firstly, turns out the Ka-52 helicopter was not the only one present at the time. In fact, Yevhen pulled out the missile system when he saw two choppers flying past his squad but did not manage to prepare the weapon and lock on the target in time. Luckily, soon the third helicopter appeared, and the Javelin was ready to engage. This detail also highlights that the decision to target the Ka-52 wasn't spontaneous, and the ATGM operator knew well the capabilities of his weapon.
In fact, the Javelin's manual provides an algorithm for engaging aerial targets / Open-source image
The missile hit the tail but the rotorcraft left the field of view. The kill on target was confirmed the next day.
Yevhen praises the FGM-148 Javelin as a "very smart" weapon. In particular, although advertised as "fire-and-forget," the system is meticulous about pre-launch target acquisition and doesn't even let the operator initiate the launch until the target is locked. The firepower is impressive, too, as he states that no russian slat armor managed to save their tanks from destruction by Javelin.
As a Partner and Co-Founder of Predictiv and PredictivAsia, Jon specializes in management performance and organizational effectiveness for both domestic and international clients. He is an editor and author whose works include Invisible Advantage: How Intangilbles are Driving Business Performance. Learn more...
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