US approves sale of extended-range JDAM bombs to Ukraine
Illustrative photo: Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) (wikipedia.org)
The United States has approved the sale to Ukraine of Joint Direct Attack Munitions – Extended Range (JDAM-ER) and related equipment worth $373.6 million, according to Reuters.
The US State Department said Kyiv had requested to purchase 1,200 KMU-572 joint direct attack munition tail kits and 332 KMU-556 JDAM tail kits.
The order also includes:
- munitions support equipment;
- spare and repair parts and consumables;
- weapons software;
- engineering, technical, and logistics services.
Boeing will serve as the principal contractor for the deal.
"The proposed sale will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions with a more robust air defense capability," the statement says.
What is JDAM
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a kit that converts unguided "dumb" bombs into all-weather precision-guided smart munitions. The system includes guidance based on inertial navigation and GPS.
The modified JDAM-ER (Extended Range) kit also features foldable wings, turning bombs into glide munitions.
From 1998 to November 2016, Boeing produced more than 300,000 JDAM guidance kits. As of January 2024, production had reached 550,000 units.
A dispute is unfolding in Washington over weapons for Ukraine. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell accused the Pentagon of blocking $400 million in military aid to Kyiv.
RBC-Ukraine also reported that the United States is preparing a new phase of pressure in negotiations regarding Ukraine.
