Ukraine has a longer-range deadly weapon

Ukraine is now using a new-precision guided air-launched weapon which puts previously out-of-reach Russian targets in the firing line. For the first time, Ukrainian fighter pilots flying MiG-29s and Su-27s are launching strikes armed with the extended version of the US joint direct attack munition (JDAM-ER). The US had supplied standard JDAMs to the Ukrainian air force earlier in the war but this weapon only has a range of about 17 miles, restricting the area of operations. The longer-range version aided by a pop-out wing enables the pilots to launch the bomb 45 miles away from the target. It could become a crucial new weapon for hitting strategic Russian targets such as bridges in eastern and southern Ukraine. The Kyiv government has been calling for longer-range bombs and missiles both to hit targets currently too far for effective strikes and to protect Ukrainian fighter pilots from Russian air defences. The arrival of the American JDAMS-ER, albeit presently in small numbers, has been confirmed by General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe. They were delivered three weeks ago. Until the US and Nato allies decide to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter aircraft, such as F-16s and Typhoons, the Ukrainian air force will have to rely on these longer-range precision weapons to carry out deep strikes. Ukraine’s MiG-29 Fulcrums and Su-27 Flankers have until now operated with the standard JDAMs and the US AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM). HARM missiles have a range of about 30 miles. The arrival of the JDAM-ERs will not remove all risks from targeting Russian positions. To avoid surface-to-air missile defences, Ukrainian pilots will still have to fly in low for much of the journey. To achieve the maximum range of the new weapon, the pilots will have to pull up sharply and toss the bomb into its trajectory before dropping back to a low altitude to escape.