Russia refines guided bombs: Defence Intelligence explains the threat

Russians are mass-producing a new type of guided modular planning bombs, now equipped with a turbojet engine. This has significantly increased the range of such munitions to 200 kilometres. The Defence Intelligence reports that such a range will allow Russian aircraft dropping these bombs to avoid entering the range of Ukraine’s Defence Forces' air defence systems.

The report was published by Telegraf, citing an official response from the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

Purpose of the upgrade

In the Defence Intelligence’s response to the publication’s official request, it is stated that the enemy plans to use these guided modular planning bombs with a flight range of up to 200 km.

«Similar munitions, including aerial bombs fitted with universal planning and correction modules with a flight range of up to 75 km, are primarily used by the enemy to strike targets in frontline and border regions of Ukraine. The modular bombs will be no exception, and their extended range will allow Russian aircraft to avoid entering the coverage zone of Ukraine’s air defense systems, ” the document states.

Intelligence officials do not rule out that Russia may employ these new bombs to strike targets deeper inside Ukrainian territory.

What is known about these bombs

At the end of October, Deputy Chief of Ukrainian Defence Intelligence Vadym Skibitskyi said during the «Energy That Sustains Ukraine» forum, that Russia had launched serial production of the new guided aerial bombs capable of striking from up to 200 kilometers away. According to him, Russian engineers have upgraded the UMPK modules, increasing both range and precision.

Russia is also trying to make its guided bombs more resistant to Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the serial production of these weapons poses a growing threat to frontline regions and major Ukrainian cities.