Not even in the US arsenal
Ukraine is to receive new types of long-range bombs
January 30, 2024, 10:01 p.m
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They are not even supposed to be in the arsenal of the US armed forces: According to a report, Ukraine is receiving new long-range bombs from Washington. Accordingly, the bullets are now being delivered after months of testing.
According to a media report, Ukraine is set to receive new long-range precision bombs from the USA on Wednesday. This is reported by US magazine “Politico” with reference to four people familiar with the matter, two of whom are said to be US officials. Exactly how many of these will be delivered is unclear. However, we are talking about a “first batch”.
The projectiles consist of a precision-guided 250-pound bomb, about 113 kilograms, which is attached to a rocket motor and can be fired from various ground launchers. According to the report, they have a range of up to 90 miles, which corresponds to around 145 kilometers. This means they have a shorter range than the British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which can travel around 550 kilometers.
According to the report, these new bombs are not even in the arsenal of the US armed forces and were developed jointly by the US manufacturer Boenig and the Swedish defense company Saab, which also previously manufactured cars. The US armed forces had a similar model, but not one that could be fired from the ground.
“Politico” also quotes a US official who attests that the bomb has “significant capabilities” for Ukraine. “It gives them a deeper strike capability that they haven’t had before and complements their long-range fire arsenal,” the US official is quoted as saying. “It’s just an extra arrow in their quiver that allows them to do more.” The US armed forces have not yet commented on this.
According to Politico, Ukraine is the first country to use these new bombs in combat. It goes on to say that the USA had already announced last February that it would equip the country invaded by Russia with the bombs, but that they first had to be tested for months. The approved US military aid for Ukraine has recently expired, and there is no new agreement in sight in Congress. However, according to the report, the long-range bombs can still be delivered because the contract with Boeing was concluded last year.