Why are pilots in Ukraine firing rockets so clumsily?

Russian aircraft have adopted an unusual tactic for firing unguided rockets. Rather than launch them in pairs directly at a target on a downward angle, pilots tend to fly low before climbing and firing an entire pod of rockets steeply upwards, after which the pilot veers away. This clumsy approach, known as “lofting” or “tossing”, has some advantages, but points to a lack of modern weaponry on both sides.

The technique was originally developed by the American armed forces in the 1940s. To deliver an atomic bomb without having to fly directly over its target, aircraft would make a steep climb before releasing a bomb on an upwards trajectory. The plane would then break off sharply while the bomb continued, achieving the maximum range without catching the aircraft in the blast.