US will provide Ukraine with bombs capable of hitting targets at a distance of about 70 kilometers - media
Date: 2023-02-22 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: MILITARY ASSISTANCE
The U.S. is providing Ukraine with Boeing Co. long-range GPS-guided bombs capable of hitting targets at a range of 45 miles, industry officials said.
Bloomberg writes about it.
So far, the Pentagon has not officially acknowledged it is sending a modified version of the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition, saying it will only send "precision airborne munitions" as part of a $1.85 billion package announced on Dec. 21. But two people familiar with the matter confirmed the presence of the weapon - that it is an extended range Jdam, known as the Jdam-ER. They asked not to be identified as details were not released.
Pentagon spokeswoman Kelly Flynn said the US would not identify the munitions, citing operational security. Jdam kits are used by the US Air Force and Navy and are sold in over 26 countries.
Jdam-ER can be attached to unguided bombs. Once dropped, the bomb deploys its wings, allowing it to glide over a distance of approximately 70 kilometers and triples the range of the original weapon. The extended range Jdam was developed in collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force.
Extended range kits will significantly increase precision firepower using available ammunition stocks, said Rebecca Grant, Air Force Systems Specialist and President of IRIS Independent Research.
The extended range kits can be used to attack Russian front lines or their second echelon rear in Ukraine.
On January 20, Boeing received orders from the US Air Force for $40.5 million under the current Jdam contract. The work must be completed by June 30th. The award indicates that the US and Ukraine have developed a method by which Soviet-era fighter jets flown by Ukraine can program and fly the Jdam-ER.
