This is counting MLRS systems at Russian arms depots. That means that it won’t count deployed units in the field. That’ll make this number low.
This is counting MLRS systems at Russian arms depots. That means that it will include non-functional MLRS systems that are being scavenged for parts and the like. That’ll make this number high.
EDIT: Also, one other important factor. While I have not been following the situation, my guess is that the limiting factor is not the launcher, but rather supply of munitions. That is, Russia could probably maintain a higher rate of munitions use if it had them available.
I don’t think that those will “run out”, but at some point – and I assume that that was probably earlier in the war, as it was with artillery shells – Russia will have consumed available rocket stockpiles, and will be limited to using any rockets at the rate at which new ones can be produced.
EDIT2: Well, I guess there are any MLRS rockets that Russia has obtained from North Korea this year. Ukraine destroyed some munitions from North Korea in those ammo dump drone attacks, as I understand it. No idea how many, if any, of those remain.
During WWII, the reason the USA was able to freely bomb Japan uncontested, is that Japan ran out of fuel for their planes to defend their airspace. As such, USA bombed their runways, which had lines of parked planes they couldn’t fly.
The same concept could apply here. Bomb the storage depots, and they can’t use the equipment, even when they DO eventually recieve supplies for them.
Keep in mind two factors.
This is counting MLRS systems at Russian arms depots. That means that it won’t count deployed units in the field. That’ll make this number low.
This is counting MLRS systems at Russian arms depots. That means that it will include non-functional MLRS systems that are being scavenged for parts and the like. That’ll make this number high.
EDIT: Also, one other important factor. While I have not been following the situation, my guess is that the limiting factor is not the launcher, but rather supply of munitions. That is, Russia could probably maintain a higher rate of munitions use if it had them available.
I don’t think that those will “run out”, but at some point – and I assume that that was probably earlier in the war, as it was with artillery shells – Russia will have consumed available rocket stockpiles, and will be limited to using any rockets at the rate at which new ones can be produced.
EDIT2: Well, I guess there are any MLRS rockets that Russia has obtained from North Korea this year. Ukraine destroyed some munitions from North Korea in those ammo dump drone attacks, as I understand it. No idea how many, if any, of those remain.
During WWII, the reason the USA was able to freely bomb Japan uncontested, is that Japan ran out of fuel for their planes to defend their airspace. As such, USA bombed their runways, which had lines of parked planes they couldn’t fly.
The same concept could apply here. Bomb the storage depots, and they can’t use the equipment, even when they DO eventually recieve supplies for them.