US to provide Ukraine with JDAM-ER bombs to counter Russian electronic warfare systems
Ukraine is set to obtain advanced precision-guided JDAM-ER (Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range) air-dropped bombs specifically designed to target and neutralize Russian electronic warfare (EW) equipment, which has been complicating the use of conventional JDAMs and Excalibur munitions on the front line.
The Pentagon announced a deal with Scientific Applications and Research Associates (SARA), a producer of sensors for JDAM-ER bombs. These high-tech sensors are engineered to track and home in on EW systems. The news website The WarZone detailed the new agreement's specifics and its significance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces' combat capabilities.
The WarZone highlighted a US Department of Defense statement regarding the contract worth $23,554,341 for the production of "Home-on-GPS Jam search systems" and the integration of extended-range "Heads Up Navigation Systems (HUNS)." The materials acquired will provide military assistance to Ukraine. The timeline for production, sensor quantity, and the delivery date for the updated bombs for Ukrainian use remains unspecified.
The WarZone experts clarified the Pentagon's decision's significance. The new sensors are devised to prosecute adversary EW assets— disabling enemy devices that have hindered the JDAM's use. This technology could also benefit the M982 Excalibur precision-guided munitions, whose effectiveness plummeted from 70% to 6% following extensive Russian EW deployment on the frontline.
The cost per JDAM-ER sensor was not disclosed; however, manufacturer data reveal that the price of these components is one-tenth of their previous-generation counterparts. "The HOJ is a compact device, with production costs at 1/10 of prior-generation systems. Using solid-state components and a common munitions interface facilitates rapid and cost-efficient integration," the company brochure stated.
Meanwhile, Defense Express experts assessed why the US, possessing the HOJ technology since 2014, only recently decided to place a large order and transfer it to Ukraine. Experts believe there were initially too few precision-guided bombs with new anti-EW sensors and they required testing. After proving effective, the decision was made to enhance Ukrainian armed forces capabilities.
The first reports of JDAM-ER provision to Ukraine emerged in March 2023, with photographs circulating online featuring these bombs mounted beneath MiG-29 aircraft. Furthermore, footage of explosions attributed to the use of such weaponry has been published.