Russia and Ukraine Expand Glide Bomb Use, Forbes Says
Forbes says Russia and Ukraine are expanding glide bomb use as drones limit artillery, with both sides seeking new ways to deliver massed fire.
Russia and Ukraine have both sharply expanded their use of glide bombs, Forbes reports, describing the trend as a sign of how the two armies are trying to compensate for the declining role of artillery as drones saturate the front line.
According to the publication, both sides have long relied on a doctrine in which artillery and other forms of area fire serve as the main tools for destroying enemy forces. That doctrine has not fundamentally changed during the conflict, but the growing presence of drones is forcing both armies to use artillery less freely.
Drones now constantly search for howitzers, track their positions after the first shots and strike supply routes. As a result, artillery systems are increasingly being moved farther from the front, reducing their effectiveness and pushing both sides to look for alternatives.
Glide bombs are becoming one of the key substitutes. These are conventional aerial bombs fitted with wings and guidance systems. Once released, they can travel dozens of kilometers and hit targets without the aircraft entering the range of enemy air defences.
Forbes notes that glide bombs usually weigh hundreds of kilograms and are far more destructive than drones or mortars, while their effect can be comparable to heavy artillery fire.
The article says Russia has spent the past two years converting Soviet aerial bombs, including FAB-250, FAB-500, FAB-1500 and FAB-3000 models, into precision weapons using universal glide and correction modules, known as UMPK. These kits include folding wings, control surfaces, an inertial system and satellite navigation. After modernization, some versions have reportedly reached ranges of up to 95 kilometers.
In June 2026, Russian forces sharply increased their use of such bombs. Sources cited in the article said more than 1,800 were used in the first week of the month alone. Russian Defence Ministry updates have increasingly reported strikes on temporary deployment points of Ukrainian forces, command posts of drone units, logistics and communications in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and Sumy Regions, as well as near Krasny Liman.
Ukraine, unlike Russia, does not have comparable stockpiles of Soviet aerial bombs, Forbes writes. Instead, it uses Western-supplied GBU-62 JDAM-ER bombs, French AASM Hammer munitions and American Rusty Dagger systems. Their numbers are limited, so Ukrainian forces have to use them selectively.
Ukraine has also recently introduced its own development, called Uravnitel, created by DG Industry under the Brave1 initiative. The bomb weighs 250 kilograms and is comparable to Russia’s FAB-250. It has already been used in combat, though still on a limited scale.
Forbes concludes that, as the conflict develops, both sides are likely to invest more effort and resources not only in improving glide bombs themselves, but also in countermeasures against them. These weapons may gain more accurate sensors, elements of drone technology and engines to extend their range. Their role is expected to grow, as neither Russia nor Ukraine can afford to abandon massed fire.