Artillerymen of 8th Air Assault Corps Demonstrate HIMARS in Action

The Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have received the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system. This refers to the 8th Air Assault Forces Corps, whose artillerymen have already demonstrated the combat use of the American system.

This was reported in a story by ICTV, which showed the HIMARS in action against a Russian target in the Oleksandrivka area — as later reported by the press service of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the 8th Air Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The released footage captures the process of preparing the launcher for combat operations, targeting, and the actual launch of rocket munitions at a designated target.

Thus, the 8th Air Assault Forces became the second corps-level unit of Ukrainian paratroopers to officially confirm the presence of M142 HIMARS systems in its ranks.

Just a week earlier, it became known that the 7th Airborne Assault Corps had also begun using similar weaponry. This information was published by Ukrainian military-focused media outlets, citing military sources.

The transfer of HIMARS to the corps level may indicate a further strengthening of the autonomous firepower capabilities of the newly formed operational-tactical units of the Air Assault Forces.

Thanks to its high mobility and accuracy, HIMARS allows for strikes against command posts, ammunition depots, troop concentrations, and key enemy logistics hubs.

The presence of these systems directly within corps units also reduces the time between target detection and engagement, which is critically important in modern maneuver warfare.

HIMARS first arrived in Ukraine in the summer of 2022 and quickly became one of the most effective high-precision strike assets in the Defense Forces’ arsenal.

It is precisely through the use of these systems that the Ukrainian military has been able to significantly disrupt Russian logistics by destroying ammunition depots and command posts far behind enemy lines.

Brief technical specifications of the M142 HIMARS:

• chassis — FMTV 6×6;
• crew — 3 personnel;
• ammunition load — six GMLRS rockets or one ATACMS missile;
• GMLRS range — up to 70–90 km depending on the variant;
• maximum speed — approximately 85 km/h.

The expansion of the HIMARS fleet within Air Assault Forces units demonstrates the command’s desire to strengthen corps-level control over its own high-precision strike assets and increase the operational flexibility of Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.

The 8th Air Assault Corps recently introduced the Target Hub service for rapid target destruction.