Ukrainian forces deploy heavier guided bombs against Russia
Ukrainian aviation continues operations against Russian forces, using guided bombs acquired from the West. Recently, bombs twice as heavy as the previous ones have been showcased, highlighting their enhanced performance.
Ukrainians currently have very limited aviation capabilities, as only a small portion of their fleet remains operational since the war began. Most of the strike missions are conducted by MiG-29 aircraft, with the fleet bolstered by units supplied by Poland and Slovakia.
A few Su-27 aircraft remain, alongside several F-16 jets, which, as seen in available footage, are used for defending airspace.
In the cockpit footage from the Su-27 aircraft below, a pair of JDAM-ER bombs are seen being deployed. While deploying these bombs isn't new, using the 450-kilogram variant is significant, as previous videos focused on 225-kilogram bombs. The use of a 450-kilogram bomb suggests a significant target.
JDAM-ER bombs - a simple modification for ordinary Cold War-era bombs
JDAM-ER bombs, which entered service in the U.S. Air Force in 2015, are an advancement of the earlier JDAM models from the 1990s. The JDAM family of bombs builds upon older unguided bombs Mk 82/83/84, weighing 225 kg, 450 kg, and 900 kg, respectively. NATO countries possess hundreds of thousands, if not a few million, of these bombs.
The production process involves equipping them with a module containing advanced GPS and INS navigation and a section with control elements and folding wings for the ER version.
Through this modification, a glide bomb is created, capable of hitting a target with precision within a few metres, even from a distance of over 65 kilometres, as long as it is released from a high altitude. In summary, the higher and faster the bomb is released, the farther it travels.
JDAM bombs — massive destructive power at a low cost
The speed of these bombs makes them exceptionally challenging targets for air defense systems to intercept. Russians employ a similar method when attacking Ukrainian targets, using FAB bombs with UMPK (Unified Modules for Planning and Correction) systems.
Beyond the low production cost (primarily due to the module, as the bomb itself is essentially free), JDAM/-ER bombs offer significant destructive power. The 225-kilogram variant contains 87 kg of TNT, while the 450-kilogram model includes 200 kg of explosive material. Moreover, the heavier bomb penetrates through ground or field fortifications more effectively, and its increased destructive power offsets the reduction in precision due to the impact of Russian jammers.
