US to provide Ukraine with Jdam-ER long-range version of GPS-guided bomb

The US is providing Ukraine a long-range GPS-guided bomb made by Boeing Co. that’s capable of hitting targets 45 miles away, industry officials said, reported from Bloomberg.

The Pentagon hasn’t formally acknowledged it’s sending the modified version of Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition, saying only it would send "precision aerial munitions” as part of a $1.85 billion package announced December 21. But two people familiar with the matter confirmed the weapon is the Extended-Range Jdam, known as the Jdam-ER. They asked not to be identified because the detail hasn’t been announced.

Pentagon spokeswoman Kelly Flynn said US won’t identify the munition, citing operational security. Jdam kits are used by the Air Force and US Navy and have been sold to over 26 countries.

The Jdam-ER can be bolted on unguided bombs ranging from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds. Once dropped, the bomb deploys wings, allowing it to glide up to 45 miles and tripling the range of the original weapon. The Extended-Range Jdam was developed in cooperation with the Royal Australian Air Force.

Boeing on January 20 received a $40.5 million order from the Air Force under an existing Jdam contract. The job calls for completion by June 30. The award indicates the US and Ukraine have cobbled together a method by which Soviet-era fighter jets flown by Ukraine can program and launch the Jdam-ER.

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