Bogdan Frolov 09:34, 19.05.26 UNIAN

The key advantage was the unprecedentedly low cost of producing an aerial bomb

Ukraine has created its first ever guided aerial bomb ( GAB ) after nearly a year and a half of development. The new weapon is much cheaper than its American counterparts, according to information from DG Industry.

The new KAB, called the “Equalizer”, is designed to be transported by various types of aircraft, writes Business Insider . According to reports, the “Equalizer”, equipped with a warhead weighing 250 kilograms, is designed to hit targets deep behind enemy lines. It was created from scratch, “and not copied from Western or Soviet systems,” said Brave1, Ukraine’s national platform for the development of defense technologies.

The weapon was designed with high-precision guidance and compatibility with current Ukrainian aircraft and systems, a Brave1 representative said. It can be launched from Ukrainian F-16 and Mirage fighter jets, but additional certification will be required for use. The bomb also has modern guidance algorithms that contribute to better aiming and accuracy.

Pilot training and combat use

Ukrainian “pilots are currently practicing combat scenarios and adapting a new weapons system for use in real wartime conditions,” stressed the Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov on social networks. “Soon, Ukrainian KABs will strike enemy targets.”

The ammunition is claimed to be significantly cheaper than its Western equivalents. The “Equalizer” costs about three times less than the American Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) kit, which is also in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Brave1 representative said, citing DG Industry.

The “Equalizer” can also be deployed regardless of weather conditions or time of day, and preparation for use of the weapon takes no more than 30 minutes, the developers noted.

How are KABs used in wartime?

Ukraine previously relied on JDAM-ER kits from the US and European allies. JDAM-ERs are unguided bombs equipped with guidance kits and wings, transforming them into long-range, precision-guided weapons that allow aircraft to strike targets from afar, beyond the reach of Russian air defenses.

Both Russia and Ukraine used KABs during the war, but Russia relied especially heavily on them, modifying Soviet-era bombs with wings and navigation kits to strike Ukrainian front lines and cities from far beyond the reach of Ukrainian air defenses. Russia has created some 3,000-kilogram models capable of devastating territory, and is expanding their production.

UAVs are difficult to counter because they have low radar signature, short flight times, and non-ballistic trajectories. Destroying the carrier aircraft is often a priority, but they tend to launch their weapons from safe distances beyond range.

The course for our own defense production

Ukraine first received the JDAM-ER from the United States in early 2023 and has since requested thousands more. Earlier this month, the United States approved a potential sale of additional GBU-62 JDAM-ER precision-guided bombs, with the State Department saying the weapons would enhance Ukraine’s ability to respond to current and future threats.

The new “Equalizer” is the latest example of Ukraine’s desire to develop more of its necessary weapons and technologies domestically, rather than relying on partner countries.

Ukrainian companies have shown that they can create some of these systems quickly, cheaply, and on a large scale, attracting increasing attention from Kyiv’s allies and partners, the media reports.