Ukraine has created its own planning bomb — Ukrainian Air Force shows video of tests

The crew of the Ukrainian Armed Forces released a video of a Ukrainian bomb being planned. It was tested by a Su-27 fighter jet.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have American JDAM-ER bombs and French AASM Hammer bombs, but Ukraine intends to produce similar bombs locally. Brigadier General Serhiy Holubtsov announced in June that the Air Force is developing a new planning and guidance kit to convert Soviet-style unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

With its wings and rear-mounted rocket engine, the bomb looks very similar to the Hammer (pictured). The latter weighs 250 kilograms and can fly 65 kilometers thanks to solid rocket fuel.

Obviously, the Ukrainian military is suffering from a shortage of Western ammunition, and this is likely to be true of any type of ammunition. France has pledged to provide only 50 Hammers per month — far too few to match the roughly 3,000 KABs the Russians drop along the front line each month, even with the US JDAM-ERs.

Localized production helps not only to reduce the shortage but also to circumvent allied restrictions on the use of ammunition. The US restrictions on targets in Russia are particularly critical as the Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct operations in the Kursk region.

The Ukrainian air force has armed several types of combat aircraft with American and French planning bombs, including Su-24, Su-27, and MiG-29. They may also carry a new Ukrainian bomb.

Sources: Forbes