Ukraine is creating an analogue of Russian KABs that can hit at a distance of 60 km

In Ukraine started the development of an analogue of the Russian KABs, which is already capable of covering a distance of 60 km, however, additional funding is needed to speed up the project.
The Ukrainian design bureau “Medoid” is working on the creation of a domestic version of the UMPK kit, which transforms a conventional aviation bomb into a controlled planing one. The new development is already being tested: during the tests, the KAB was dropped from the Su-24 front-line bomber in horizontal flight mode. Externally, the design is based on the shape of the Russian UMPK, which made it possible to speed up development, but the internal content has been significantly changed – the key goal is to increase the accuracy of the damage.
“The planning and control module for a 500-kg bomb is of our own development. The developed wings are easily put on the bomb. There are no problems to connect there. It only takes a few minutes. Domestic enterprises are involved in the production. The navigation module is its own, but now there is a decision to test on our product a new development of one of the leading French companies – to ensure maximum invulnerability and stability in EW conditions. But there are still some parts that we still have to import because of border”, – explained Oleg Vostryh, a representative of “Medoid” CB.
As of now, the Ukrainian KAB is already conducting a planning flight of 60 kilometers and hits the specified target. As the developers noted, these are the requirements set by the military – on the basis of a joint decision between the KB and the Ministry of Defense. But options are already being developed that will allow hitting targets at a range of 80 km. Although formally, with a drop height of 10 km, the range can reach up to 100 km, but everything will depend on the tactics of use.
“We are currently at the stage of testing. Test drops were carried out from the Su-24 while in horizontal flight. They gave a positive result. In particular, with regard to the range and the drop system and the planning of the bomb as such. We need to do up to a dozen more tests, which will be examined by the Ministry of Defense. But so far, the main problem in order to move quickly is money.”, — noted Oleg Vostrykh.
He clarified that the design bureau has a “Charitable fund of advanced technologies”, which is engaged in collecting funds for the completion of the test cycle.
“We are looking for any opportunity, because the cost of one such product is practically about 1,200,000 hryvnias, or about 25 thousand dollars. In fact, now the question of funds is perhaps the main restraining factor for completing work on this project in its current version before the start of serial production of the domestic Ukrainian KAB”. – said in the “Medoid” KB.
The Ukrainian military’s need for long-range bombs remains very high — at least 100 units per day. And it is not completely covered by Western models such as JDAM-ER, AASM Hammer and GBU-39/B SDB. That is why Ukrainian development is really necessary. Moreover, even at the stage of experimental samples, its cost is already lower than foreign analogues.