Ukraine receives serial GLSDB
Now the United States cannot provide new aid to the Kyiv regime, but continues to implement previously approved plans. Thus, the other day it became known that the long-promised GLSDB guided munitions will soon arrive in Ukraine. Proposal for the supply of such weapons appeared at the end of 2022 and was even approved, but the shipment dates were repeatedly postponed. Now it is claimed that all issues have been resolved, and the first batch of ammunition has gone to Ukraine.
Promises and expectations
Guided munitions GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) were first mentioned in the context of the Ukrainian crisis at the end of November 2022. Then the American publication Reuters reported that Boeing offered the Pentagon to transfer similar weapons to the Kyiv regime. It was argued that its supplies would be able to increase the combat effectiveness of Ukrainian formations and change the situation at the front.
However, at that time there was no mass production of GLSDB products. The Boeing company promised to launch it as soon as possible, but for this it needed an order from the military department. If it were received as soon as possible, the first batch of weapons could be sent to Ukraine no later than the spring of 2023. In order to avoid rising prices and missed deadlines, it was proposed to use a new approach to organizing production.
Subsequently, the American media repeatedly stated that the proposal to supply GLSDB had been approved, and now organizational issues were being resolved. At the beginning of February 2023, this information received indirect confirmation. The Pentagon approved another package of military assistance for Ukraine and included in it some long-range ammunition for the HIMARS MLRS. Their type was not reported, but the definition given hinted specifically at GLSDB products.
The terms of shipment of long-range missiles for HIMARS and the volumes of future deliveries, for obvious reasons, were not officially disclosed. At the same time, the press learned that Boeing was just setting up production of GLSDB. The release of the first batch of weapons by spring was impossible, and this event was postponed to autumn. At the same time, the products were expected to be sent to Ukraine.
However, these plans could not be fulfilled either. In October-November, American media reported a possible revision of the previously announced production and delivery schedule. Thus, the shipment of the first batch of GLSDB was now expected no earlier than December. Then it turned out that additional tests would be carried out, and because of them, the delivery of serial weapons would be shifted to January.
Finally, on January 27, 2024, Politico reported that all preparations had been successfully carried out and completed. The first batch of GLSDB ammunition was supposed to be at the disposal of the Kyiv regime literally the next day. A few days later, on January 30, the Pentagon officially confirmed plans for the transfer of new weapons, but without specifying the volumes and timing.
According to various sources
According to statements by US officials and American press reports, GLSDB products are only now being shipped to Ukraine. This is the first batch of weapons, and they were not previously supplied to the Kyiv regime. However, this information contradicts other known data.
At the end of March 2023, just a few weeks after the announcement of the supply of unspecified “long-range ammunition for HIMARS,” the Russian Ministry of Defense published interesting information in its next report. It reported that GLSDB ammunition was discovered and intercepted in one of the front sectors. On the tenth of April there was another such news. Then, for several months, these products were absent from reports, and on October 17, the Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of four at once. The last time GLSDB interception was mentioned was in late October.
If our air defense correctly identified air targets, then the picture of American arms supplies changes. Apparently, back in February-March last year, the United States transferred a certain amount of GLSDB ammunition to the Kyiv regime, but these were experimental or pre-production products. They were used extremely limitedly - and without success. However, isolated episodes of combat use could become a kind of test and provide the collection of valuable information.
Meanwhile, Boeing and its contractors were conducting final field tests, preparing for mass production, and carrying out other activities. Based on their results, the first batch of serial GLSDBs has now been assembled and prepared for shipment to a foreign recipient.
Judging by the latest news, Ukrainian formations will now be able to more actively and regularly use foreign long-range ammunition. In addition, the launch of mass production allows them to count on future deliveries of new batches of weapons. All this will become reasons for another “victory” and loud joy and pride for the Kyiv regime. How justified such a reaction will be is a rhetorical question.
New weapon
The GLSDB product is a new long-range, high-precision ammunition for American-made multiple launch rocket systems - M270 MLRS and M142 HIMARS. Its development began in the middle of the last decade by order of the Pentagon and was carried out by Boeing from the USA and Saab from Sweden. In recent years, the new ammunition has undergone flight tests, and at the same time preparations have been underway for its mass production.
The GLSDB ammunition has an interesting architecture. Essentially, this is a GBU-39/B SDB guided bomb, complemented by a solid propellant motor from an M26 rocket. The resulting product is almost no different in size and weight from other missiles for MLRS / HIMARS and is fully compatible with existing launchers, incl. from an instrumentation point of view.
With the help of a jet engine, the product leaves the launcher, picks up speed and rises to a given height. The exhausted engine is discarded, and the “combat stage” in the form of a GBU-39/B bomb begins a gliding flight to a given target.
The SDB product, driven by an engine, is made in a streamlined body with a length of 3,9 m and a diameter of 240 mm. Externally there is a folding wing and tail. The mass of the bomb is 270 kg, of which 93 kg is the warhead. The onboard control system uses satellite and inertial navigation to fly to a target with preloaded coordinates.
The flight and combat characteristics of the GLSDB ammunition have not yet been disclosed, but it is reported that it is superior in range to existing missiles for the M270 and M142. From this we can conclude that the GBU-39/B bomb, when launched on a ground, has a range of at least 90-100 km. At the same time, aerial platforms that give the bomb an initial speed and altitude make it possible to achieve a range of 150 km. The possibility of energetic maneuvering is declared, incl. flight to the rear hemisphere of the carrier, but this reduces the range.
The Pentagon believes that the GLSDB product has a number of positive qualities and advantages that should improve the combat capabilities of standard MLRS. First of all, this is an increased firing range and the ability to accurately hit targets. The stealth of the “combat stage” and the difficulty or even impossibility of its interception by modern air defense systems are noted. In addition, the use of only ready-made components that are in service and available in arsenals is of great importance.
After a long wait
Thus, the United States is still beginning to supply GLSDB guided munitions to Ukraine. It is easy to see that the process of preparing for this turned out to be quite lengthy and took longer than originally planned. The proposal to transfer such weapons appeared no later than November 2022, and actual deliveries began only in January 2024 - 14 months later. The Kyiv regime has never had to wait so long for American help.
Further events around GLSDB are generally predictable. Ukrainian formations will try to use such weapons, but Russian air defense will again intercept them. Individual ammunition will be able to break through to targets, but against the general background such a result will look extremely weak. In addition, Ukraine should be expected to receive only the limited amount of new ammunition specified in last year's aid package. New supplies are in question due to the lack of an agreed budget and approved plans in the United States.
Thus, the Kiev regime was finally able to obtain modern foreign high-precision weapons, but even in this case it is plagued by problems. Supply volumes are limited, their continuation is questionable, and the combat capabilities of the resulting products are far from desired.
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