Ukrainian pilots actively use French AASM Hammer aerial bombs, the delivery of which was officially announced in January 2024. And after almost half a year, the first video finally appeared showing how these rocket-bomb hybrids are used.
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Defense Express writes about this.
The video, distributed online, recorded both their drop from the MiG-29, which was first seen with them back in March, and hits from the AASM Hammer.
In the video, the MiG-29 pilot makes a very low-altitude flight, which is due to the need to hide from enemy radars, then lifts the nose of the car and sharply gains altitude at an angle of 45 degrees.
At the seventh second of this maneuver, the AASM Hammer is reset, after which the MiG-29 pilot makes a turn on the hill and again descends to the minimum altitude. And while the plane is leaving the attack, the engines in the AASM Hammer are turned on, throwing them to a height, from where they fly along a hinged trajectory to the target.
Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets firing French-made AASM “Hammer” guided bombs.
The AASM is a direct function of the bomber whale, which can be built with a variety of bomb sizes, including 250 kg, 500 kg, and 1000 kg options. pic.twitter.com/pG9kJTR91y
– Clash Report (@clashreport) June 27, 2024
Therefore, the range of use can be up to several tens of kilometers, instead of 70 km, as is the case with high-altitude discharge. This use of the AASM Hammer is in fact absolutely traditional and is used if the enemy has long-range air defense systems.
It is precisely this method of using the AASM Hammer that is apparently used by Ukrainian pilots when striking the enemy with other similar long-range bombs – JDAM-ER and SDB. In particular, as Defense Express previously wrote, during testing the prototype JDAM-ER (Kerkanya) showed a range of 44 km during the reset.
Note that the AASM Hammer is a kit installed on 250 kg and 1000 kg bombs. It consists of a nose section with guidance systems (inertial, satellite, and optionally thermal imaging or laser) and control surfaces. And also a tail one with a rocket engine.
France has committed to supplying 600 of these bombs, 50 units per month, but Safran, which produces them, announced in early June that it is ready to produce 90 units. As the company’s head, Olivier Andries, noted, negotiations are ongoing to increase the order for AASM Hammer.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.