Long-range GLSDBs for HIMARS seem to be in Ukraine: Russian troops show wreckage

A video filmed by Russian forces has been posted on the Internet, which shows the fragments of a new type of weapon that flew at their positions.

And among the wreckage, which was packed in a cardboard box, a rather non-standard square-shaped element with steering surfaces and a barcode stands out.

And it is indeed quite easy to recognize the tail section of the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). And it is part of the GLSDB, together with the jet engine from the M26 unguided missile. And if we immediately exclude the option that Ukraine received just SDB bombs, then there are no other options but GLSDB.

"Given the fact that nothing but the tail section remains of the bomb itself, we are also talking about the first successful combat use of GLSDB by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the first combat use of this system in the world," Defense Express notes.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine were supposed to become the first GLSDB operator, as this system was ordered for Ukraine's military by the US government under the USAI program and the first batch is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2024.

"And the absence of official announcements about the transfer of weapons, i.e. a surprise for Russian troops, is much better than the announcement of new long-range capabilities of the Armed Forces. However, this in no way prevented Russia from "intercepting" GLSDBs back in March 2023," Defense Express experts note.

GLSDBs can target the adversary at a range of up to 150 km. The GBU-39/B bomb is first launched by a rocket engine to a high altitude, separates, opens its wings and begins to navigate to the intended target.

The GBU-39/B bomb itself weighs only 113 kg, but despite this, it can penetrate more than 90 cm of reinforced concrete before exploding. There is also a contact and aerial detonation mode. The basic GBU-39/B version is guided by inertial and satellite navigation, with a declared deviation accuracy of up to 1 metre.

In addition, there are options for equipping this bomb with a passive radar homing warhead that can attack radar or electronic warfare stations. There is also a version with semi-active laser guidance. Finally, another version of the GBU-53/B II bomb has a thermal imaging warhead.

It should be noted that the exact version of the GLSDB bomb Ukraine received is actually quite controversial, because in fact, the serial production of this weapon was launched for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for use against Russia with all the specifics of a real war.