Patriot air defense systems and JDAM smart kits will be part of the next US military aid package.
CNN sources say the shipments will be announced as early as this week. The number of kits assigned to Ukraine is not reported.
Precision bomb kits that will turn existing unguided munitions or “dumb bombs” into precision smart bombs are known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions or JDAM. This equipment adds fins and a precision aiming system to “blunt” ammunition.
Precision bombs can help Ukraine attack immovable Russian defense lines or other large targets. They need to be dropped from fighters.
The Ukrainian military will also have to find a way to target and launch JDAM from Soviet-era aircraft, as they did with American-made HARM anti-radar missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force adapted MiG-29 fighters for firing HARM missiles. They will have to do the same for JDAM.
Kits can be associated with bombs of various weights and sizes, from 500 lb to 2000 lb. The munitions then use a combination of GPS and an inertial guidance system to accurately hit the target. An additional system can also give the bomb laser guidance to hit a moving target.
The kits, first reported by The Washington Post, provide bombs with a range of approximately 15 miles (25 km), according to Boeing.
JDAMs do not carry a major escalation risk due to their relatively short range, similar to other US-donated weapons, according to one official.
The kits will not allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory.
For the first time, the supply of Patriot systems became known a week ago, on December 13th. Two days later, sources told about the allocation of Joint Direct Attack Munition technology to Ukraine.
Patriot will effectively intercept ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, protecting cities and energy infrastructure from shelling.
Macron promised Ukraine more air defense and self-propelled guns at the beginning of 2023
Source: Racurs
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