The incredible effectiveness of Iskander missile strikes against Ukrainian military targets is in no small part the product of this weapon’s capabilities, says retired Russian Army Colonel and military analyst Viktor Litovkin.
“Iskander has two types of missiles. There are ballistic or quasi-ballistic missiles that fly along a ballistic trajectory but deviate from the course right, left, up, down – that is, they maneuver along the trajectory, which is why they are called quasi-ballistic,” Litovkin explains. “They can rise up high in space and strike vertically at the intended target. They reach not only supersonic but also hypersonic speed at the moment of strike.”
“Then there are cruise missiles that fly towards the target, also at supersonic speed but navigating around the landscape. They fly 6-7-12 meters above the ground, within this range, moving towards the target like a snake,” he continues. “Both of these types of missiles are nearly impossible to detect and to intercept.”
According to Litovkin, Iskander missiles are so effective because enemy radars simply cannot “see” them, and if a radar cannot “see” a missile then it is impossible to fire an interceptor at it.
Accurate intelligence also plays a significant role in the success of Iskander strikes, since one needs to know the coordinates of the target to plot the missile’s trajectory and to take into account weather conditions and other factors that may affect the flight path, Litovkin says.
The analyst also pointed out that both the quasi-ballistic missile and the cruise missile in question pack quite a punch due to the significant yield of the warheads they carry, and that they cause considerable damage upon impact.
He does note, however, that there is no reason to use Iskander missiles against any target.
“You can’t just launch an Iskander because some infantry formation got spotted somewhere. Why should you do that? There are other missiles,” Litovkin elaborates.
A “heavy, large and expensive missile” like Iskander is better suited for taking out targets like airbases, oil refineries and port facilities, whereas smaller targets can be wiped out using missiles like Kalibr, drones or even artillery, he adds.