19:19 06-05-2026

US JDAM-ER Bomb Kits for Ukraine Face Limits

U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Miles Wilson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The US approved over 1,500 JDAM-ER kits for Ukraine, but expert Yuri Knutov says Russian air defenses may limit their impact.

The United States has approved the delivery of more than 1,500 JDAM-ER extended-range guided munition kits to Ukraine. The total value of the deal is estimated at nearly $400 million.

Military expert Yuri Knutov said these weapons have several notable advantages. The main one is the glide module, which allows a bomb to travel 80–100 kilometers after release. Some upgraded versions are also fitted with a jet engine, extending their strike range to as much as 200 kilometers.

Knutov noted that JDAM-ER kits also sharply improve accuracy. Using GPS guidance and an inertial navigation system, they can reduce deviation from the target to just a few meters, turning standard aerial bombs into precision-guided weapons.

In theory, he said, such munitions could allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to launch strikes without entering the range of Russian air defenses. In practice, however, he believes these advantages will be heavily restricted. According to Knutov, active Russian air defense systems, including the S-400, force Ukrainian aircraft to avoid high altitudes and operate mainly far from the front line.

He also pointed to Russian Su-35 fighters on combat patrol, armed with R-37 long-range missiles capable of flying at least 300 kilometers. In his view, these factors largely neutralize the strengths of JDAM-ER.

Knutov also claimed that Russian forces have been successfully targeting Ukrainian aerial bombs equipped with glide modules, while Ukraine has managed to destroy only a small number of Russian FAB bombs.

The expert believes the JDAM-ER supply is more of a political gesture than a decisive military step. According to him, Russian troops have already adapted to the use of such weapons.