Su-24M with Ukrainian glide bomb spotted during tests

The Ukrainian Air Force is testing a domestic analog of the UMPK kit to enable Ukrainian aircraft to carry out long-range bombing strikes against the invaders.

A short video of testing of the new weapon was published on the “Combat Aviation of Ukraine” Telegram channel.

The footage shows that a Su-24M strike aircraft is being used to test the Ukrainian glide bomb.

The Telegram channel claims that during this flight, it is escorted by a Su-27UB two-seat operational conversion trainer, from which video recording is conducted.

“The bomber is performing a test flight to test a new guided bomb,” said in the Telegram channel.

A fighter jet escorts the strike aircraft to control release of a bomb and subsequent gliding to the target.

The report also notes that the flight is carried out in a tight formation, which requires greater concentration of aircraft crews during the flight.

The video shows that, most likely on a Soviet free-fall bomb, Ukrainian engineers have installed a hinged structure, some parts of which look like elements of the UMPK (unified gliding and correction module), which the Russians install on their bombs to increase the range and accuracy of the hit.

For example, the Ukrainian bomb features folding wings and a rounded aerodynamic fairing in the new part, which improves its aerodynamic characteristics, reducing air resistance during the bomb’s flight, both under the wing of an aircraft and during attack on the target.

But there are also differences: in the tail section there is a compartment with X-shaped control surfaces (rudders) and, judging by the video, we can assume that it is a solid fuel rocket booster or a jet engine. The use of an additional accelerator with a bomb increases the range of the bomb and reduces the risk of the crew being shot down by enemy air defense fire.

It is worth recalling here that in June of this year, Brigadier General Serhii Holubotsov, Chief of Aviation of the Air Force Command, announced testing of a domestic analog of JDAM-ER.

At the time, he said that Ukraine had been working on developing high-precision kits for Soviet bombs, which, in addition to high accuracy, would also provide an increased range.