LONDON, May 24. /TASS/. Russian jamming has repeatedly kept Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) bombs Ukraine has been using since earlier this year from hitting their intended targets, Reuters reported, citing sources.
Ukraine sought Western weapons with longer ranges than US-supplied GMLRS rockets that can hit targets at a distance of around 70 km. The GLSDB bomb developed jointly by Boeing and Saab helped answer that need. The two companies added a rocket motor to the long-range glide bomb and readjusted it for use in multiple rocket launchers. While delivery times had been constantly pushed back, Ukraine has been using the bombs since spring, including in its attacks on Tokmak and Makeyevka.
However, Russian jamming has successfully targeted the GLSDB’s navigation system which enables it to be steered around obstacles. While Boeing has said that the bomb can partially defeat jamming, one of the sources told Reuters that it would take the manufacturer months to fix.
Neither Boeing, nor Ukrainian officials immediately responded to Reuters’ request for comment.