Ukraine Destroys $100M Russian Radar with ATACMS – 10 More Still in Play

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) successfully targeted and destroyed a Russian “Nebo-M” radar station using ATACMS ballistic missiles, according to Thursday’s report from Ukraine’s General Staff.

“The destruction of this radar significantly reduces the Russian military’s ability to detect, track, and intercept both aerodynamic and ballistic targets,” the report said.

The Nebo-M radar complex, a highly advanced and costly asset, operates in “stealth mode” and scans the horizon for aerial threats. It is a system that combines the input of three separate vehicle mounted radars working across the VHF, UHF, L and X wave bands with input controlled from a central command post.

The General Staff said it assessed that Russia has only 10 functioning systems of this type remaining, each worth over $100 million.

According to the General Staff, the elimination of the Nebo-M will provide a strategic advantage, allowing Ukraine to create an “air corridor” for the more effective use of Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG cruise missiles.

The location where the radar was destroyed was not disclosed in the report.

In April 2024, Ukraine received long-range ATACMS missiles from the United States, capable of striking targets up to 300 kilometers away - nearly twice the range of the ATACMS version first provided to Kyiv in late 2023.

The Nebo-M radar system, which was first introduced into Russian service in 2017, is a multi-purpose long-range radar. According to its manufacturer, it can detect targets at ranges up to 600 kilometers (375 miles) away and to monitor airspace up to 1,200 kilometers and relay target locations to anti-aircraft missile systems for interception.

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Russia claims the radar system is capable of detecting 5th-generation fighter jets such as the US F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft, as well as long-range ballistic missiles.

In April, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) successfully targeted a Russian Nebo-U long-range radar station located in the Bryansk region. This radar had been monitoring airspace up to 700 kilometers into Ukrainian territory, according to sources within Ukraine’s special services who spoke with Kyiv Post.

The Nebo-U radar played a crucial role in helping Russian forces detect Ukrainian weapons and supporting its bombers in their attacks on Ukrainian border settlements using guided aerial bombs.

Valued at $100 million, the radar was struck by seven kamikaze drones. Sources indicate that the Nebo-U complex is no longer functional as it has “likely been reduced to a colander.”