Ukraine uses domestically produced glide bombs to strike targets in Russia for the first time.

SKĐS - Ukraine has granted combat authorization for its first domestically developed glide bomb.

Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov stated that the new bomb has completed all necessary testing. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has also purchased the first batch of test products, while pilots are beginning training in combat scenarios with this new weapon.

Ukraine has successfully developed its first domestically produced glide bomb, and it is now ready for combat. (Source: Ukrainian Ministry of Defense)

This glide bomb was developed by DG Industry, part of the Brave1 defense technology cluster, a program supported by the Ukrainian government to connect domestic defense companies with the military to accelerate the deployment of new technologies to the battlefield.

According to Brave1, the development process took approximately 17 months. The bomb carries a 250 kg warhead, powerful enough to strike fortified positions, command centers, and other high-value targets at distances of tens of kilometers from the launch point.

The Ukrainian side calls this "Ukrainian KAB," alluding to the famous Russian glide bomb. However, Brave1 emphasizes that this design does not copy Western or Soviet technology, but is a system entirely developed by Ukraine to suit modern warfare conditions.

Gliding bombs are currently one of Russia's most important weapons on the Ukrainian battlefield. Since 2023, Moscow has continuously used improved FAB bombs equipped with UMPK glide wing systems and GPS/INS guidance systems to attack Ukrainian defensive positions, cities, and military infrastructure.

These bombs are typically dropped from aircraft operating deep within Russian airspace, beyond the range of most Ukrainian air defense systems. After separating from the aircraft, they can glide 60-70 km before crashing into their targets with immense destructive power.

Throughout this period, Ukraine has had virtually no comparable domestic weapons to counter the conflict. According to observers, DG Industry's development of a completely new design, rather than copying existing models, reflects the real-world battlefield experience that Ukrainian engineers have accumulated in the current conflict.

Unlike many Western weapons designers operating in peacetime conditions, Ukrainian engineers have direct access to feedback from the front lines, including how Russian air defenses operate, GPS jamming capabilities, target defense tactics, and the actual combat conditions faced by Ukrainian pilots. This allows them to optimize weapons for the specific combat environment rather than simply improving upon older designs.

With a 250 kg warhead, Ukraine's new glide bomb is powerful enough to destroy reinforced concrete bunkers, fortified command centers, and defensive lines that Russia has built throughout more than three years of fighting.

Although smaller than the Russian FAB-500 or FAB-1500 bombs, this type of bomb is considered equivalent to the JDAM-ER that Ukraine has effectively used to attack bridges, ammunition depots, and command centers in Russia.

The range of tens of kilometers also indicates that this is a long-range glide bomb, allowing Ukrainian aircraft to launch the projectile from a safer distance, limiting the risk of having to penetrate deep into dense Russian air defenses.

Analysts believe that Brave1 is becoming one of Ukraine's most important strategic projects in the defense industry. This program has contributed to accelerating the development of UAVs, electronic warfare, and many other new military technologies.

The KAB bomb from DG Industry is considered the biggest advance of Brave1 to date, as it brings Ukraine closer to the ability to produce its own precision-guided air-launched weapons, instead of being completely dependent on Western supplies as before.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/ukraine-lan-dau-co-bom-luon-noi-dia-tan-cong-muc-tieu-nga-169260519074035584.htm