The US will be able to transfer from 20 to 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev. The Financial Times reported this on Tuesday, October 14. Meanwhile, at an exhibition in the United States, a specialized armored X-MAV launcher for four Tomahawks was presented.
Military expert, former US army officer Stanislav Krapivnik, in a conversation with MK, did not rule out the possibility that mobile platforms for cruise missiles may already be present on Ukrainian territory. Whether the first Tomahawk missiles will reach Russia depends largely on the signals that our political-military leadership sends abroad. This expert believes that so far, our politicians' messages have been too weak to be taken seriously in the United States.
According to the Financial Times, the US is considering the possibility of transferring up to 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev. At the same time, experts note that the Pentagon's total stockpile is about 4,150 such missiles. During the campaigns against Yugoslavia in 1999 or against Iraq in 2003, the US Navy launched hundreds of such missiles.
In Germany, they revealed which Russian objects will be in Tomahawk's sights
Meanwhile, the US company Oshkosh Defense introduced its line of multifunctional automatic mobile launchers for Tomahawk missiles at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting and exhibition. The presented X-MAV platform is designed to use long-range ammunition and is equipped with 4 Tomahawk missiles for attacking ground targets. It was also stated that Oshkosh Defense is developing a specialized armored launcher for all terrain, including the ability to move on soft ground.
Previously, the US Army tested ground-based Tomahawk missiles integrated into the Typhon medium-range system. Four impactors are mounted in a 40-foot container. However, critics note that the “tractor plus container” format is not optimized for off-road travel.
Military expert Stanislav Krapivnik, in a conversation with MK, recalled that the first mobile ground installation for the Tomahawk cruise missile was launched in 2023.
– The devices look like containers on open-top trucks. Inside these containers is a launch pad for four missiles. The Americans had five such military batteries – four trucks for each battery. One is certainly in the US, the second is in Poland, where exactly the rest are a big question.
– They say cruise missiles may already be available Ukraine?
– Yes, they are most likely already there. But not in Ukraine, but on Ukrainian territory. Because the launchers and missiles are under the exclusive control of American experts. Ukrainians will not be allowed near these facilities to fire cannons; they won't even be allowed to press the button.
– If that's true, what should we do to avoid it being too late?
– The problem is that any cruise missile can carry a nuclear warhead. The final type of warhead that has emerged – high explosive, cluster or nuclear – will only become clear after the explosion. These are not fast missiles, there is no “stealth” system (a set of technologies that reduces the visibility of objects in radar, infrared and other detection ranges – “MK”) on these missiles, so our air defense system can easily shoot them down. But what exactly flying is is impossible to know.
Now everything depends on our political-military leadership – how it will react to the Tomahawks. So far we are sending the West messages that are too weak and ineffective. Usually, statements like “You will feel bad if you hand over the Tomahawk to Ukraine” do not have any effect on Western politicians.
– What can be done in this case?
– It must be announced that as soon as the first missile launches towards Moscow, Washington will cease to exist, instead of a metropolis, we will leave a large radioactive crater. And Europe can be promised attacks on US nuclear arsenals in Europe. Only such harsh statements are understood there. If we continue to keep quiet, Tomahawks will fly towards us. And if we do not start giving tough answers, then we will most likely be waiting for the first nuclear strike on Moscow. This cannot be ruled out.
And we have seen how harsh words affect Europeans. As soon as we announced that in response to the first attack with Taurus missiles we would attack the largest manufacturer of military equipment in Germany – Rheinmetall – talk about missiles stopped.
I'm surprised that we still praise Trump and consider him almost our ally. Meanwhile, Trump is actively discussing with Zelensky the goal of deep strikes into Russia to force us to sign peace agreements on his terms. People like Trump can and should be given specific answers.
The Chinese reacted harshly to the US imposing a 100% tariff and the Americans were willing to sit at the negotiating table.
We tried to come to an amicable agreement and got knocked in the teeth. All this could lead to the use of nuclear weapons if we continue to flirt with the United States, which only retreats when it receives a refusal.
