Ukraine will receive US long-range GPS-guided bombs

Bloomberg reported the information.

The Pentagon has not officially recognized that it is sending a modified version of the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition. The department announced the shipment of "precision guided munitions" as part of a USD 1.85 billion package announced on December 21.

However, 2 journalist sources confirmed that Ukraine will receive extended-range Jdam, known as Jdam-ER. Pentagon spokeswoman Kelly Flynn said that the US would not identify the munitions, citing operational security concerns.

It is also claimed that Jdam kits are used by the US Air Force and Navy and are sold to more than 26 countries.

In particular, on January 20, Boeing received a USD 40.5 million order from the US Air Force under the existing Jdam contract. The job is to be completed by June 30.

Based on the award, the US and Ukraine have devised a system for programming and launching the Jdam-ER from Ukrainian fighter jets built during the Soviet era.

Background: Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a set of equipment based on GPS technology that transforms simple free-fall bombs into all-weather adjusted ("smart") munitions.

• Earlier, there were reports of a possible transfer of the US supplying "smart bombs" to Ukraine in December 2022: it was not known at the time whether US President Joe Biden or any of his top national security advisers had approved the proposed transfer of JDAM.