Ukraine downs advanced Grom-1 bomb: Details on Russia's latest weapon
Illustrative photo: Grom-1 shot down during the attack on Dnipro (wikimedia.org)
Russia is using the hybrid missile-bomb Grom-1, developed on the basis of the Kh-38 missile. This weapon is already being used against Ukraine and poses a serious threat.
RBC-Ukraine outlines the main specifications of the Hrom-1 below.
Origin and technical specifications
- The launch of the Grom-1 began in 2023, although its development based on the Kh-38 has been ongoing since 2015.
- Launch weight – 594 kg, warhead – 315 kg, maximum range – up to 120 km. Navigation is inertial plus satellite-based (GLONASS/GPS).
Unlike its older counterpart, the Grom-2, the Grom-1 is equipped with its own engine and has a longer range, making it more dangerous.
The Grom-2 is a glide missile without an engine and has a shorter operational range.
Both missiles feature a unified cylindrical body with an ogive-shaped nose, a conventional aerodynamic layout, and folding arrow-shaped wings.
In terms of effectiveness, this hybrid missile is 1.8 times more powerful than the OFAB-250-270 free-fall aerial bomb.
It can be mounted both in the internal bays of the carrier aircraft and on external hardpoints. The primary purpose of both variants is to destroy ground targets with known coordinates.
Production challenges
The production of the missile is complicated by Western sanctions and a shortage of components, which means the rate of new ammunition manufacturing remains limited.
Nevertheless, the Grom-1 has already been recognized as one of the most dangerous modern Russian missiles, capable not only of striking military targets but also causing significant harm to civilians.
The missile was first observed in combat in the fall of 2024. Confirmed strikes include those on the cities of Kharkiv and Kupiansk, where Grom-1 caused destruction to residential buildings and resulted in civilian fatalities.
The missile can be launched from various types of platforms, giving it flexible deployment options and allowing strikes to be carried out from distances that are safe for the launch systems.
Grom-1 attack
Explosions were heard this afternoon, June 28, in Dnipro. Monitoring channels reported the downing of a Russian KAB bomb. Ukraine’s Air Force later provided details about the enemy target.
Russian forces struck Kharkiv with a Grom-E1 hybrid missile. This marked the first use of such a weapon against the city.
Additionally, on February 1, 2024, a strike on a school in Myrnohrad was carried out using a Grom-E1 missile.
In February 2024, Russian forces also attacked Kherson with these hybrid missiles, and in March, a five-story residential building in Myrnohrad was partially destroyed by a Grom-E1. Two sections of the building were demolished, two people were killed, and five others were injured.
