Russia-Ukraine war: A senior officer in the US Air Force stated today (Tuesday) that the Ukrainian Air Force began using JDAM type smart bombs against Russian targets. The smart bomb, which can hit targets tens of kilometers away, is in the hands of the Ukrainians in a small estimate, but it will still be a problem for the Russian army, according to a source privy to the details.
Meanwhile, General James Hackerthe head of the United States Air Forces in Europe and Africa (USAFE), provided details on the Ukrainian use of the bomb, and stated that “recently Ukraine received long-range precision munitions, this is an excellent capability, which we were able to provide to her only in the last three weeks”.
The complete JDAM kit consists of a tail, which contains an Inertial Navigation System (INS) with the help of GPS, and plates that run along the body of the bomb and give it an increased ability to glide to its intended target. The special set of wings extends the range of the missile up to a distance of 70 kilometers.
At the same time, it is not clear which platform the Ukrainians are using for the new missile. General Hacker did raise the possibility that the missiles were installed on MiG 29 and Sukhoi 27 fighter jets, given the fact that they represent the bulk of the Ukrainian Air Force’s aviation fleet. This, alongside a limited number of Sukhoi 24 and even Sukhoi 25 aircraft.
Although the amount of bombs that reached Ukraine is unknown, sources familiar with the details said that even a small number would present a serious challenge for the Russian forces. The system provides diverse capabilities such as “set and forget”, which can be used in any weather.