The US JSOW glide bomb is a formidable rival to the Russian FAB bomb.

On September 26, US President Joe Biden announced a military aid package worth over $8 billion for Ukraine, including various weapons, ammunition, and modern military equipment. This package included Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bombs. These precision-guided glide bombs are considered capable of helping Ukraine overcome Russian air defense systems when launched at low altitudes. Each JSOW costs $500,000.

According to RBC-Ukraine, this type of bomb can be launched from F-16 fighter jets and is equipped with retractable wings, allowing it to target at distances of over 100 km.

During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Russian military repeatedly used glide bombs with guidance modules, and these precision bombs helped them achieve some success.

Previously, in an interview with Newsweek, SOFREP military editor Guy McCardle described glide bombs as "a rather clever and scientific weapon" that Russia uses to "drop large quantities of ammunition at relatively low cost, but inflict significant physical and psychological damage on the enemy."

Precision-guided bombs have existed since World War II, but the JSOW glide bombs that the US sent to Ukraine are far more advanced. This type of glide bomb was developed by the US Navy and Air Force. JSOW was first tested in the 1990s and officially entered service in 1999. Many countries have used this type of bomb, including Australia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Türkiye, and others, according to RBC-Ukraine.

The JSOW precision-guided glide bomb has many different variants such as AGM-154A, AGM-154B, AGM-154C…

The JSOW glide bomb has a range of 22 to 130 km.

JSOW is a guided-flight bomb, allowing it to attack both stationary and moving targets. Operating on a "fire and forget" principle, it requires no further guidance after launch. It utilizes GPS navigation and an infrared seeker, enabling automatic target identification. These technologies make the bomb resistant to electronic warfare countermeasures. The JSOW's excellent stealth capabilities will make it more difficult for Russian air defense systems to shoot it down.

According to experts, the JSOW's range varies from 22 to 130 km. When launched at high altitudes, it can reach a range of up to 130 km, while at low altitudes it only reaches 22 km. The AGM-154 achieves a range of 130 km when dropped from an altitude of 8 km at a speed of 960 km/h. JSOW-ER variants, thanks to their jet engines, can strike targets at distances of 450-500 km, far exceeding the range of the Storm Shadow/SCALP EG missiles currently used by Ukraine.

The F-16 can carry a maximum of four JSOW bombs. Weapon preparation and integration must be completed before the aircraft takes off. Aviation expert Valerii Romanenko believes that the AGM-154 bomb is a formidable rival to the FAB glide bombs used by Russia.

However, according to military expert Dmitry Drozdenko, "each type of weapon creates its own problems." The JSOW is a powerful weapon, capable of engaging a variety of threats, from vehicle groups to air defense systems. However, it also has limitations. The higher it flies, the farther the bomb travels. But for Ukrainian F-16 pilots, flying high means being easily detected by Russian radar and vulnerable to attacks from long-range S-400 and S-500 air defense missile systems.

The Hai (According to Newsweek, Bulgarian military)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/bom-luon-jsow-my-doi-thu-dang-gom-cua-bom-fab-nga-204241002220635537.htm