About Hrim-2:
- Hrіm-2, Grim, Grom, or OTRK Sapsan, also known as Operational-Tactical Missile System Hrim is a Ukrainian short-range ballistic missile system.
- It is designed to combine the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher.
- The Hrim-2 version, developed for export, has a range limited to 280 kilometers in order to fall within the 300- kilometre limit set by the Missile Technology Control Regime.
- However, for Ukrainian military needs, the system's range has been extended to 700 km.
- The Sapsan system comprises a 10-wheeled Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) capable of carrying two containerized missiles simultaneously.
- Its aero-ballistic capabilities allow evasion of modern air defenses like the S-300 and S-400, drawing parallels to the Russian 9K720 Iskander missile complex.
What is a Ballistic Missile?
- It is a rocket-propelled, self-guided strategic-weapon system that follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver a payload from its launch site to a predetermined target.
- They are powered initially by a rocket or series of rockets in stages, but then follow an unpowered trajectory that arches upwards before descending to reach its intended target.
- They can carry conventional high explosives as well as chemical, biological, or nuclear munitions.
- They can be launched from aircraft, ships, and submarines, in addition to land-based silos and mobile platforms.
- There are four general classifications of ballistic missiles based on their range, or the maximum distance the missile can travel:
- Short-range: less than 1,000 kilometers (approximately 620 miles), also known as “tactical” ballistic missiles.
- Medium-range: between 1,000 and 3,000 kilometers (approximately 620-1,860 miles), also known as “theater” ballistic missiles.
- Intermediate-range: between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers (approximately 1,860-3,410 miles)
- Long-range: more than 5,500 kilometers (approximately 3,410 miles), also known as intercontinental or strategic ballistic missiles.
- Short- and medium-range ballistic missiles are referred to as theater ballistic missiles, whereas ICBMs, or long-range ballistic missiles, are described as strategic ballistic missiles.
