The blog’s operators say Ukraine’s MiG-29s are taking on a new role: delivering long-range precision strikes designed to chip away at Russia’s logistics system. Each hit on a bridge, ammunition depot, or command post is designed to create a chain reaction far beyond the capabilities of a single fighter.
Created in the late 1970s for air superiority missions, the MiG-29 was not originally designed to carry Western weapons. But Ukraine has turned it into a multi-role platform, capable of launching everything from AGM-88 HARM missiles to guided bombs and modern avionics—something that Russian engineers would never have imagined.
Meanwhile, the GBU‑62 JDAM‑ER is a Mk‑82 bomb equipped with a GPS/INS guidance tail and extended glide wings, allowing it to hit fixed targets at a distance of 70 - 80 km. Thanks to that, the MiG‑29 can launch attacks from outside dense air defenses while maintaining accuracy of only a few meters.
Furthermore, integrating the JDAM‑ER onto the MiG‑29 was a major technical challenge. Ukraine had to develop its own launchers, GPS antenna bays, and additional datalinks to compensate for the aircraft’s non-NATO compliance. This breakthrough paved the way for Ukraine to deploy Western glide bombs on a regular basis.
Less talked about, the JDAM‑ER came to Ukraine as part of a 2023 US aid package, along with surplus Australian glider wings used for its F/A‑18 Hornet fleet. At a much lower cost than cruise missiles, the bomb quickly became a cost-effective and highly effective deep strike solution.
In addition, JDAM‑ER allows Ukraine to turn free-fall bombs into precision-guided weapons. The difference between the two sides lies in the way they are deployed: Russia often drops them en masse to sweep a large area, while Ukraine uses them sparingly but extremely precisely, focusing on targets of high strategic value such as command posts, warehouses, bridges...
The bridge that collapsed near Kamianske was a vital link for Russia to maintain pressure on Stepov and Lobkov. Its destruction forced Moscow to send in more engineers, anti-aircraft and transport vehicles, a logistical drain that it could not replace in a short time.
In the larger picture, each bridge destroyed in Zaporizhzhia slowed the Russian advance and opened up more space for Ukraine to operate. The JDAM-ER-equipped MiG-29s gradually became the symbol of an air force that was flexible, innovative, and increasingly proficient in combat.
The attack on Kamianske was not only a tactical victory, but also marked the transformation of the MiG‑29 fleet from a Cold War fighter into a platform for delivering long-range precision weapons by Western standards. As this capability expanded, every Russian bridge, ammunition depot, or logistics hub within dozens of kilometers became a target, increasing the pressure on Moscow.
Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/mig29-ukraine-thoi-bay-cau-huyet-mach-o-zaporizhzhia-post2149069442.html
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