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Ukraine is Getting the Brand New GLSDB Glide Bomb as Early as Tomorrow
Here’s how it will help win the war
The war in Ukraine has seen a wide variety of weapon systems used by both sides. But the best weapons are the ones that are suited to the needs of the current mission — in this case, killing Russian armor and infantry along, and behind, the contact line.
Last February, the DoD promised to send Ukraine a new hybrid weapon that it was developing for the US Army — a combination artillery shell, air-dropped GBU bomb, and HIMARS missile, all rolled into one.
Called the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), this built-to-purpose weapon comes at a crucial time for Ukraine as funding from the US has effectively dried up.
Last year, the US signed a contract with defense manufacturer Boeing to provide the weapon to Ukraine. Currently, the US has no GLSDBs in its inventory. So, the fact that Boeing is finally delivering these weapons is akin to throwing Ukraine a lifeline while Congress gets its sh*t figured out.
The GLSDB isn’t your average bomb. It’s a joint brainchild of Boeing and Saab, marrying a 205-pound precision GBU-39 bomb with a rocket motor, allowing it to be fired from the ground.
Interestingly, even the US Army hasn’t added this to its arsenal yet, which speaks to its cutting-edge design.
It’s all about precision and range in Ukraine, and the GLSDB is right on the money.
Here’s how it works:
The GLSDB can be launched from either MLRS or HIMARS, but it also comes with its own launcher, which resembles a nondescript 20-foot (6.1 m) shipping container, making it easier to create decoys and more difficult for the enemy to locate and target.
Once fired, the rocket motor takes the bomb to a designated altitude and the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) separates from the rocket and the wings deploy, allowing the bomb to glide.
