Russian Media: Russian Precision-Guided Air Bombs "Catch Up"

Reference News Network reported on August 24 According to an article by Russian military expert Dmitry Kornev published on the website of the Russian newspaper "Izvestia" on August 16, titled "Correcting Flight - The U.S. Attempts to Catch Up with Russia in the Field of 'Smart' Aerial Bombs." The original abstract is as follows:

In early August, the U.S. Air Force signed a contract with Boeing to produce a new "Long-Range Joint Direct Attack Munition" (JDAM-LR). Such weapons are becoming increasingly important for armies that actively use air power to strike ground targets. For example, Russia has widely and successfully used a range of guided aerial bombs in its special military operation in Ukraine. How advanced is the U.S. in the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) program, and who currently holds the advantage in this field?

Development History of U.S. 'Lethal' Munitions

The Pentagon signed a $75 million contract with Boeing to produce JDAM-LR guidance kits for carrier-based air forces. Each kit can convert a standard free-fall bomb into a long-range guided bomb. The kit includes a folding wing module, a satellite navigation unit, and a small turbojet engine. With this "add-on," a standard 226-kilogram bomb is transformed into a high-precision cruise missile with a range of up to 550 kilometers.

Of course, this new type of lethal munition did not appear out of nowhere. Glide bombs have existed for many years, and the core significance of JDAM lies in its ability to convert standard bombs into guided munitions by adding high-tech kits.

The development program for JDAM began in the early 1990s, initiated after analyzing the results of the Gulf War. At that time, it was found that the "Paveway" series of high-precision laser-guided bombs were useless in conditions of heavy cloud cover, sandstorms, smoke, or fog. Thus, the task was proposed to develop a weapon system that was as inexpensive as possible, all-weather capable, and had "fire-and-forget" capabilities. Boeing ultimately became the main developer of JDAM, with the first kits entering service in 1997. The new bomb was first used in combat during NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999.

JDAM kits are developed for bombs of different calibers. The GBU-38 JDAM weighs 253 kilograms and has a strike range of 28 kilometers. Any frontline and tactical aircraft can serve as a carrier.

The heavier GBU-32 weighs 468 kilograms and can also glide, with a strike range of 24 to 28 kilometers. The medium JDAM is carried by F/A-18 carrier-based fighters and B-1B and B-2 bombers.

Finally, the heavy GBU-31 JDAM weighs over 950 kilograms and can also be used by fighter-bombers and strategic bombers, but its strike range is also 24 to 28 kilometers. It has been proven that relying solely on small aerodynamic surfaces without glide wings to achieve longer strike ranges is unrealistic.

To increase the strike range of JDAM, equipping the bombs with glide wings is a logical choice. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, extended-range JDAM kits were developed and began mass production. Glide wings allowed the GBU-62 (230 kilograms) and GBU-64 (900 kilograms) bombs to achieve strike ranges of 75 to 80 kilometers. The bombs learned to fly, and technological advancements allowed for the application of laser guidance systems, enabling the bombs to target moving objects at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.

Russia's New Path to Leapfrog

From the very beginning, Russia achieved a leap to the "Unified Glide and Correction Module" (UMPK) in the development of JDAM technology. Like the extended-range JDAM, this kit can convert standard FAB series bombs into high-precision glide bombs with a strike range of up to 80 kilometers.

However, Russian designers have gone further than their foreign counterparts. Our UMPK is not only installed on widely used 250-kilogram and 500-kilogram bombs but is also used for larger bombs. It is these bombs equipped with this module that have been used on a large scale in special military operations, ensuring that the Russian armed forces not only complete tactical tasks but also strategic ones.

In September 2023, it was mentioned for the first time that FAB-1500 bombs equipped with UMPK were used in combat operations in Ukraine. The carrier for this new weapon is the Su-34 frontline bomber. As one of the most powerful non-nuclear munitions in modern warfare, this debut marks the beginning of its high-precision combat use.

In 2024, Russia resumed production of the FAB-3000 M-54 bomb, which weighs nearly 3300 kilograms. The UMPK allows this super-heavy bomb to achieve a strike range of 60 kilometers, with an accuracy of within 5 to 10 meters. This new type of glide bomb was first used in June 2024. The lethal radius of such a powerful bomb reaches several dozen meters around the impact point. Today, it is the most lethal weapon for frontline air forces in the world.

Russia has also developed the "Thunder" solid-fuel propelled guided bomb, which has been used in special military operations with a strike range exceeding 120 kilometers. For longer-range strikes, the Russian Aerospace Forces have a variety of air-launched cruise missiles to choose from, including the stealth missile "Kinzhal," which has a range of 500 kilometers. The 150-kilogram warhead is powerful enough to strike almost any target.

Following the U.S. and Russia, nearly all countries engaged in the development of aerial munitions have begun to develop glide bombs with additional kits. Well-known examples today include the French AASM Hammer kit, used for bombs of different calibers. Israel and China also produce similar kits.

Therefore, over the past decade, high-tech add-on devices have transformed standard bombs into the most advanced and favored weapons of frontline air forces—these air forces operate directly on the front lines and strike enemy tactical depth targets. (Translated by Wei Lianglei)