The Biden administration plans to send Ukraine advanced electronic equipment that turns unguided aerial munitions into “smart bombs” capable of hitting Russian military positions with a high degree of accuracy, according to senior US officials cited by The Washington Post.
The kits contain global positioning devices for high precision and can be used on a variety of weapons, creating what the Pentagon calls a Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM.
The US military used this technology on bombs weighing up to 2,000 kilograms, usually on bombers and fighter jets.
It is unclear whether President Biden or any of his national security advisers have approved the transfer of the technology to Ukraine, and sources told The Daily News on condition of anonymity that they do not know whether Ukrainian forces will pursue the “smart bomb” kits on planes or weapons on the ground or which systems in Kyiv’s arsenal are suitable for upgrading.
Biden sent modern equipment to Ukraine
Ukraine’s air force mainly uses Soviet-era MiGs, and the Pentagon has been looking for ways to modernize them rather than providing new Western aircraft that would require complex new training for pilots and maintenance engineers.
So far, the Biden administration has armed Ukraine with other advanced weapons, including high-velocity air-launched anti-radiation missiles, or HARMs, to bolster Ukraine’s ability to launch airstrikes in an attempt to destroy Russian radars.
But this weapon works differently than the JDAM, a new GPS-guided technology that instead hunts for radiation emitted by Russian headquarters.
The US may also send Patriot systems
The possible delivery of the “smart bomb” kits would be a significant step in helping Washington Ukraine repel Russian attacks after the US sent HIMARS systems, which proved very useful in disrupting Russian supply lines.
On Tuesday, senior US officials told The Washington Post that the Pentagon is also preparing to supply Ukraine with the Patriot missile system, the US’s most advanced air defense weapon.
Joe Biden has also not yet approved the aid, but may do so soon, US officials said.
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Source: Hot News
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