Pentagon confirms Ukraine will get GLSDB bombs

He said this at a briefing.

“As we acknowledged last year, we will provide Ukraine with the ground-launched small diameter bomb as part of our USIA -- our USAI-funded security assistance efforts. However, due to operation security reasons, we're not going to confirm specific timelines,” Pat Ryder said.

The news was first reported by Politico, citing two U.S. officials and two other people familiar with the negotiations.

It is noted that the Pentagon has successfully tested a new weapon for Ukraine, which will receive its first batch of small-diameter, long-range ground bombs manufactured by Boeing. Anonymous sources claim that this bomb is not even in service in the United States.

“The new bomb, which can travel about 90 miles, is expected to be “a significant capability for Ukraine, It gives them a deeper strike capability they haven’t had, it complements their long-range fire arsenal,” the U.S. official said. “It’s just an extra arrow in the quiver that’s gonna allow them to do more,” commented one of the American officials for Politico.

The weapon, jointly developed by Boeing and Saab, consists of a high-precision 250-pound bomb attached to a rocket engine and launched from various ground platforms. The U.S. armed forces have a similar airborne version of the bomb, but the ground-launched versions are not yet part of the U.S. arsenal.

According to a statement, Ukraine will become the first country to use this bomb in combat, making it a critical test for other nations acquiring long-range munitions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Pentagon commentary

The U.S. Department of Defense said it would not make official statements on the timing of the GLSDB bombs, but confirmed that they were planned as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

“As far as the small diameter bomb, as we acknowledged last year, we will provide Ukraine with the ground-launched small diameter bomb as part of our USIA -- our USAI-funded security assistance efforts,”  Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder told Ukrinform.

“I will refer to Ukraine to talk about any delivery,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “But we do, as I mentioned, continue to work closely with Ukraine and with our industry partners to ensure that Ukraine receives and is ready to use the capabilities that we’re delivering to them, and as quickly as possible, the spokesman added.

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