Glider bombs - the biggest fear of the Ukrainian army?

The New York Times quoted Ukrainian military officials as saying that Russian glide bombs are effectively attacking Ukrainian positions, even penetrating underground bunkers and posing a significant threat to the country's military.

The source also revealed that since March 2023, Ukrainian soldiers have continuously faced artillery attacks and suffered the devastation of glide bombs dropped by Russian warplanes.

The devastating impact of the glide bomb was terrifying even to seasoned soldiers accustomed to artillery fire. Ukraine described the weapon as containing half a ton of explosives, capable of penetrating their fortified bunkers.

A Ukrainian soldier nicknamed “Kit” described Russian glide bombs, which were often deployed in pairs, with eight bombs dropped every hour, creating a terrifying sound like a jet landing. “ It sounded like a jet going down ,” the soldier said.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in May 2023, Ukrainian air force spokesman Yury Ignat admitted that glide bombs posed a " very serious threat. Sometimes we can intercept S-300 missiles, but these bombs are a problem ." Mr. Yury Ignat described the weapon as a cheaper option compared to other types of missiles.

In addition to using glide bombs, the Russian military has also been actively deploying drones or coordinating artillery attacks to track down targets. This has affected supply routes to the frontline and made it difficult for Ukrainian forces to move. Russian drones have forced the Ukrainian military to abandon moving by vehicle and switch to walking long distances.

Interception Challenge

Equipped with a glide kit, the bomb has the advantage of extended launch distance, minimizing the launch aircraft's exposure to enemy air defenses, a tactic similar to the JDAM-ER bombs supplied by the US to Ukraine.

Although glide bombs have certain limitations, Ukrainian military officials still warn that these glide bombs, when deployed by Russian fighter jets at extremely low altitudes over the front line, will create terrible destruction.

The Russian Air Force equips its fighter bombers with satellite-guided, winged bombs capable of precision strikes from altitudes of tens of thousands of meters.

The use of UPAB-1500 and FAB-500 glide bombs effectively kept Russian fighters out of range of most Ukrainian ground-based air defense systems.

This not only hindered the Ukrainian air force's ability to intercept Russian fighters before they deployed bombs, but also posed a serious threat to civilian infrastructure, resulting in significant casualties, and had a profound psychological impact on Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

In December 2023, Russian Colonel Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada's Defense and Security Committee, said that the Ukrainian armed forces lacked the appropriate means to counter these glide bombs.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman General Yury Ignat also stressed that any attempt to intercept these bombs was neither practical nor reasonable. Instead, he advocated a strategy of focusing on attacking the aircraft launching these glide bombs.

Olexandr Solon'ko, a Ukrainian soldier, also previously expressed that " glide bombs are one of the biggest fears of the Ukrainian army ". The above situation highlights the growing concern in the Ukrainian army about the impact and threat posed by these weapons.

“ The Russians use them extensively ,” Solon’ko wrote. “ I can’t speak to their accuracy, but the weapon is very powerful .”

Aside from military considerations, the use of guided weapons mounted on these glide bombs is believed to be within the economic means of Russian military planners.

At around $24,000, glide bombs are relatively cheap weapons that use fins to extend their range, but unlike missiles, they don’t have expensive engines. They are flown by fighter jets that fly beyond the range of enemy air defenses, and are free to launch glide bombs at their targets. Modern variants of glide bombs are also equipped with guidance systems to ensure accuracy.

Amid the conflict with Ukraine, Russia has begun mass production of upgrade kits that can turn old bombs stored in its arsenal into glide bombs. Western media have repeatedly stated that these weapons pose a major threat to the Ukrainian military.

Le Hung (Source: EurAsian Times)

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