US develops cost-effective long-range missile for Ukraine's defense needs
The United States is developing a new air-launched munition specifically designed for Ukraine, according to a report from the industry publication Aviation Week Network.
The first details about this new munition emerged in January this year, initially garnering interest from 16 defense companies. The US military invited these firms to consider developing a cost-effective, air-launched weapon with a range of 250 nautical miles (463 km) that wouldn't take long to develop.
On June 10, the US Air Force’s Armament Directorate clarified that this development is indeed intended for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"This munition is crucial for Ukraine's ability to effectively meet military needs and ensures the provision of affordable, mass-produced weaponry," states the US Air Force documentation provided to military contractors.
The characteristics requirements for the new missile were published back in January. It should be a 500-pound (225 kg) munition equipped with a fragmentation high-explosive warhead. The flight speed should not be less than 0.6 Mach. The munition must include a navigation system that can operate without a GPS signal, and its maximum deviation from the target should not exceed 10 meters.
This missile is one of many Pentagon initiatives aimed at developing new, cost-effective, air-launched strike options. It remains unclear which aircraft will be equipped with this new weapon.
This is not the first munition developed in the US during the course of the war in Ukraine. Earlier this year, the Pentagon delivered the self-guided GLSDB missile to Kyiv, comprising the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb joined with a 227-mm rocket engine from the M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS.
The development of GLSDB started in the mid-2010s. However, due to the outset of the war in Ukraine, the US Department of Defense expedited the creation of this new weapon, leading to mass production starting last year.
The vision of the US military was that this ground-launched missile would parallel precision air-launched weapons and compensate for Ukraine's lacking aerial capabilities.
However, Russian forces quickly developed electronic warfare means to counter the GLSDB. In April 2024, a high-ranking Pentagon official acknowledged that the deployment of this munition was deemed unsuccessful.