CNN: US to supply Ukraine with Patriot systems and JDAM smart bombs

The US is expected to send precision bomb kits to Ukraine that will turn existing unguided munitions or “blunt” bombs into precision-guided “smart” bombs known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions or JDAMs, according to several US officials.

The kits add fins and a precision guidance system to the “blunt” ammunition. They are expected to be included in the next aid package for Ukraine.

Precision bombs can help Ukraine attack fixed Russian defensive lines or other large targets. But they need to be dropped from fighter jets, which remains a major problem due to Russia’s own air defense system.

The Ukrainian military will also need to find a way to target and launch JDAM from Soviet-era aircraft, as it did with American-made HARM anti-radar missiles earlier this year. 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 could also give the bomb laser guidance to hit a moving target. The US has used JDAM extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kits have been exported to more than two dozen other countries, according to kit maker Boeing. To date, over 400,000 kits have been produced at a cost of approximately $22,000 per kit.

Ukraine’s next aid package is expected to include Patriot air defense systems,

The US has provided billions of dollars of aid to Ukraine since early February and believes that this is effectively helping the Ukrainians fight back. While Ukraine has requested certain weapons systems, such as the Patriot missile defense system, the Biden administration has been cautious about what and when is provided to Ukraine.

JDAMs do not carry a major escalation risk due to their relatively short range, similar to other US-provided weapons, according to one official. The kits will not allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory. Exactly the same Excalibur projectiles fired from Ukrainian artillery have roughly the same range, while guided multiple rocket launchers fired from High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) have a significantly longer range than JDAMs.