Ukraine manufactures homegrown explosives for potential attacks on Russia
In a significant development for Ukrainian defence capabilities, the country has developed its own guided aerial bomb, known as the KAB, with a range of about 60 kilometers, and plans to extend this to 80-100 kilometers when dropped from high altitudes. The KAB, modelled on the Russian UMPK kits and US JDAMs, is designed to glide precisely to its target and has been tested successfully from Ukrainian Su-24 bombers.
The KAB offers a significant indigenous long-range precision strike capability, aiming to reduce Ukraine's reliance on foreign weapons systems like ATACMS and JDAM-ER. Despite this, certain components still require import, and the development program faces a significant funding challenge. Current costs are approximately $25,000 per unit, with funding being the main obstacle to mass production.
The KAB is smaller-scale and cost-effective compared to large systems like ATACMS, but it currently cannot match ATACMS's very long-range strike capability. However, it provides an alternative that improves the Air Force's operational capabilities while reducing dependency on foreign weapons systems and their supply chains.
Challenges in mass production include funding constraints, partial reliance on imported components, and the need for continued testing. The Ukrainian economy's complexities add to the task of mass producing the new guided bomb, with the company Medoid aiming for a production rate of up to 100 bombs per day.
Ukraine's innovation in guided aerial bombs is also coupled with successes in electronic warfare, specifically the Lima Jammer system, which is reportedly reducing the accuracy of Russian KABs, forcing them to use more bombs per target. However, Russian air defence and electronic warfare systems remain a significant threat, capable of disrupting GPS guidance for the Ukrainian KAB.
The delivery of F-16s equipped with Link 16 systems could bolster the use of Ukraine's KAB, providing enhanced capabilities for the new weapon. The F-16s could potentially be used in conjunction with AMRAAM missiles, further strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities.
Despite these advancements, the use of the Ukrainian-produced guided bomb is still subject to U.S. restrictions on the use of long-range weapons. The new weapon will allow Kyiv to strike deep into Russian territory, but its deployment remains limited by these restrictions and the challenges in mass production.
The KAB's development in war-and-conflicts context implies a move towards domestic long-range precision strike capabilities, reducing Ukraine's reliance on foreign weapons systems such as ATACMS and JDAM-ER, although funding is a significant challenge for mass production.
Politics play a role in the limitation of the use of the Ukrainian-produced guided bomb, with the United States imposing restrictions on the use of long-range weapons, potentially hindering Kyiv's ability to strike deep into Russian territory.
