Ukraine is poised to receive its first shipment of new long-range bombs from the United States as early as January 31st, according to a recent report from Politico. This development, citing a U.S. official and three other individuals knowledgeable about the situation, marks a significant enhancement in Ukraine's military capabilities.
The weapons in question are the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), which boast an impressive range of 160 kilometers. These bombs are set to augment Ukraine’s long-range arsenal, which already includes Storm Shadow/SCALP and ATACMS missiles.
Sources from Politico reveal that the Pentagon has completed successful tests of this new long-range precision bomb, designed specifically for the Ukrainian battlefield. The arrival of these bombs is anticipated to be a game-changer, with one U.S. official describing the GLSDB as “a significant capability for Ukraine,” enabling the Ukrainian forces to “do more.”
The GLSDB, a collaboration between Boeing and the Swedish defense company Saab, is launched using the U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). These systems have been operational in Ukraine since June 2022. Interestingly, while the ground-launched variant of this weapon is yet to be included in the U.S. inventory, its air-launched counterpart has been in use.
The initial announcement of the GLSDB's delivery to Ukraine came in February 2023, with initial expectations of their arrival being projected for late 2023. However, this timeline seems to have been expedited.
In a related claim, Russia stated that it had intercepted a GLSDB in March 2023. This was contradicted by a U.S. official who informed Reuters that none of these weapons had yet been delivered to Ukraine at that time.
The impending arrival of these advanced weapons signifies a substantial boost to Ukraine’s military capacity, potentially altering the dynamics on the ground in the ongoing conflict.
