"Гром-Э1" is more dangerous than KABs: what we know about Russia's new glide bomb and whether it can be countered.
The Russian Air Force has been attacking Ukrainian military forces and civilians with powerful cluster bombs for over a year, dropping more than a hundred precision-guided munitions daily.
These KAB bombs are constructed from heavy bombs and are mounted on ready-made guided glide modules. Some of these munitions weigh over three tons and can travel more than 25 miles on their deployable wings, allowing Su-30 and Su-34 bombers carrying them to remain outside the reach of several Ukrainian air defense systems.
However, not all Ukrainian air defenses are out of reach. This may explain why the Russian Air Force increasingly resorts to a special type of munitions: the aviation cluster bomb, which has three times the range of the standard KAB.
The 1300-pound "Grom-E1," equipped with a rocket engine, can fly up to 75 miles. The Su aircraft that launches the "Grom-E1" at maximum range must stay out of reach of all but the best and rarest Ukrainian air defense systems — for instance, its prized American Patriots.
For now, the targets are civilians. The "Grom-E1" struck a school and a residential building in Myrnohrad and Kherson, respectively, in February and March. In August, another one exploded in Kharkiv. Just recently, on October 29, a bombing raid involving KABs and at least one "Grom-E1" damaged a medical facility and other buildings in Kharkiv, including the historic "Gosprom" structure, which is under UNESCO protection.
The increase in "Grom-E1" strikes may be a response to the recent deployment of former European Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets by the Ukrainian Air Force. These Western fighters are armed with the advanced AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile), capable of covering distances of up to 40 miles.
The first of 85 F-16 aircraft arrived in Ukraine this summer and made their debut combat sorties in late August. One F-16 crashed during this initial operation, resulting in the pilot's death. However, the number of these agile fighters — and the trained pilots for them — is increasing every month.
F-16s pose a serious threat to Russian fighters, but only if they can engage them with their best missiles. A cautious Russian Su pilot can launch a "Grom-E1" and veer away before a Ukrainian F-16 pilot can close in for an AMRAAM launch.
The "Grom-E1" is one of the ways Russia is trying to outpace Ukraine in the air arms race that has been raging along the front line during the 33-month war Russia is waging against Ukraine — a war that shows no signs of ending, despite the elected U.S. President Donald Trump pledging to call Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a settlement.
If there is any consolation for Ukrainians, it is that Russia's stock of "Grom-E1" munitions may be limited. The Kremlin has ramped up mass production of low-powered, rudimentary KABs, but there is no certainty that similar levels of industrial development have been achieved for the more sophisticated "Grom-E1," which undoubtedly costs much more than KABs.
This is a faint consolation for ordinary Ukrainians in Kharkiv and other cities who go to sleep at night not knowing whether a "Grom-E1" will come crashing down on them this time.
Ukrainians can defend themselves with their glide bombs: the French-made Hammer and a new locally produced munition that may be a virtual clone of the Hammer. This new bomb was first spotted under the wing of a Ukrainian Su-24 bomber during a test flight back in September. The range of both the French munition and its local clone is likely around 40 miles. Ukraine has also received U.S. Navy Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) glide bombs.
At that range, Ukrainian aircraft are still within reach of Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense batteries, as well as Russian Su fighters equipped with R-77 "Vympel" air-to-air missiles. And no matter how limited Russia's supplies of "Grom-E1" may be, Ukraine's own stock of Hammer munitions is likely even more restricted. Paris supplies no more than 50 bombs a month.
Overall, the war of glide bombs, including those with rocket boosters, and full-fledged cruise and ballistic missiles is heavily skewed in Russia's favor. But this applies to many aspects of the war in Ukraine, and such an imbalance has never prevented Ukrainians from resisting.
The author expresses a personal opinion that may not align with the editorial stance. The responsibility for the published information in the "Opinions" section lies with the author.