France to produce 1,200 AASM Hammer smart bombs for Ukraine - Le Parisien

According to the French publication, the modular air-to-ground weapon has become a new favorite of Ukrainian fighter jets, and since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the production of AASM bombs in France has increased fourfold in the direction of the front.

"But this is still far from the end. After producing 830 units in 2024, the plan for 2025 is to produce 1,200," writes Le Parisien.

The developer of these modular bombs is the French company Safran, which is a large industrial and technological group involved in the development and production of aviation engines, helicopters, rockets, and aviation equipment.

AASM Hammer features

The AASM Hammer consists of a guidance kit and a power unit kit, which are installed in the front and rear parts of a regular bomb on a fighter jet.

"The inertial block uses the physical properties inherent in the gyroscope. By comparing measurements of angle and acceleration, it restores the position and speed of the weapon systems and orients them in space," explained Jean-Noël Mahier, Director of Operations at Safran Electronics and Defense, in an interview with AFP.

In simpler terms, the two sets of guidance and movement make the AASM Hammer bomb system "error-free against enemy obstacles, while simultaneously ensuring its navigation to the target."

Why Ukraine wants AASM Hammer bombs

The French newspaper notes that the smart AASM bombs are in high demand from the Ukrainian side.

Franck Sodo, President of Safran Electronics and Defense, stated that the module feature protects the bombs from Russian GPS jamming and guarantees high target accuracy.

Moreover, a strong point of these bombs is their compatibility with Ukrainian MiG and Su fighter jets.

The AASM Hammer, which entered service in the French military in 2008, "became the benchmark weapon for Rafale."

"The French government asked Safran to integrate surface-to-air missile systems (SAM) onto Ukrainian fighter jets after American JDAM GPS-guided munitions failed to hit targets. According to Safran, this was done 'in less than four months in the fall of 2023,' allowing for 'target processing with excellent precision,'" reports Le Parisien.

Technical description

The basis for the AASM Hammer air-to-ground guided bomb is Mk 82 bombs (weight - 250 kg), BLU 109, or Mk 8 (1 ton).

The declared flight range of the AASM Hammer is about 70 km, but it also depends on the flight altitude. It is noted that when released from a low altitude, the range varies from 20 to 100 km.

The carrier of the AASM Hammer is the French multi-role fourth-generation fighter Rafale. It is also known to be used on F-16, Mirage 2000, and Mirage F1, on which the Hasas (Hammer Stand Alone System) has been additionally installed.

As France's Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu pointed out earlier, the bombs will be launchable from existing Soviet-era aircraft in Ukraine's defense forces, including MiG and Su jets.

In January 2024, the head of the French Ministry of Defense stated that France would supply Ukraine with about 50 AASM Hammer bombs per month.

For more details on these high-precision hybrids and what is known about AASM Hammer bombs from France, proceed with a separate article.