The United States is set to recommence the delivery of long-range munitions, specifically Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB), to Ukraine following enhancements made to the bombs to improve their effectiveness against Russian jamming, as reported by Reuters.
The glide-bombs were acquired during the administration of former President Joe Biden through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The United States has procured approximately USD 33.2 billion in new weapons and military supplies for Kyiv directly from American and allied defence contractors.
On Tuesday, the administration of President Donald Trump announced its decision to reinstate military assistance and intelligence collaboration with Ukraine, following Kyiv’s expression of readiness to endorse Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
In recent weeks, 19 GLSDBs underwent test firings to evaluate the effectiveness of their upgrades. These modifications included strengthening the connections within the weapon to improve its durability, according to sources.
The reintroduction of the GLSDB to the battlefield may take place in the near future, as a stockpile is already available in Europe. According to one source, the last deployment of these weapons by Ukrainian forces occurred several months ago.
The GLSDB is a weapon system created by Boeing in collaboration with the Saab Group. It is designed to enable the ground launch of Boeing’s GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), which was initially intended for aerial deployment, from various ground-based launchers and configurations.
The system integrates the SDB with the M26 rocket, allowing it to be fired from ground missile platforms such as the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and the M142 HIMARS. Initial mass production of the GLSDB commenced in 2023, and it was first utilized in combat by Ukraine in 2024 amid the ongoing Russian invasion. However, its performance was reportedly underwhelming, attributed to Russia’s capabilities in electronic warfare, as well as shortcomings in tactics, techniques, and procedures.
