Ukraine aerial attacks against Russia get ground-based boost

• Ukraine has resumed using Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDBs), which combine U.S.-supplied GBU-39 bombs with M26 rocket motors. The upgraded versions have improved effectiveness against Russian electronic countermeasures.
• Ukraine’s F-16s and retrofitted MiG-29s and Su-27s are increasingly being used for air-to-ground attacks, enhancing their impact on the battlefield.
• Ukrainian drones continue to evolve, now reaching attack ranges of up to 25 miles, posing a growing threat to Russian targets.

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While a ceasefire in Ukraine remains elusive, Ukraine’s ability to attack Russia from the air is getting a boost.

Over the last few weeks, Ukraine’s Armed Forces have resumed using Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDBs). These munitions use two items already widely used in U.S. and allied inventories: the GBU-39 small diameter bomb (SDB) and an M26 rocket motor.

Once fired, the rocket motor falls away, and the SDB becomes a glide bomb with a range of around 100 miles. SDBs are more maneuverable than standard artillery shells, so they can strike targets on the reverse slope.

Upgraded GLSDBs prove more effective

If these weapons sound familiar, that’s because the U.S. sent over a batch earlier in the war. However, they proved largely ineffective against Russian electronic countermeasures. After a brief pause in U.S. aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration restarted weapons shipments, which included upgraded GLSDBs.

Ukraine’s air-launched small diameter bombs are also making more of an impact against Russian targets. In a video recently posted to social media, a Ukrainian F-16 was captured carrying eight GBU-39 SDBs in addition to a mix of air-to-air munitions.

Ukraine’s older MiG-29s and Su-27s were retrofitted to be able to carry Western weapons. When Ukraine first received Western-made F-16s, they were used largely for air patrols. But as pilots grow more comfortable with the fighter, and as Ukraine’s fleet of F-16s grows, the Fighting Falcons are being used in more air-to-ground roles as well.

Drones remain the backbone of Ukraine’s air attacks

Despite these advancements, drones remain the backbone of Ukraine’s air attacks. Throughout the war, Ukrainian engineers have continued to push the limits of drone technology.

At the start of the war, most of Ukraine’s drones could only fly a couple of miles from their operators. That range was expanded to around 10 miles last year, and now there are reports of Ukrainian drone pilots making attack runs on targets up to 25 miles away. Even Russian state media is warning about the extended range of Ukrainian drones.

Impact on the war’s trajectory

On their own, none of these advancements will be enough to turn the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favor, but they are all vital in ensuring Russia does not seize the initiative either.

Negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing, but as of publication, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he cannot accept the current U.S.-proposed agreement — something that reportedly made President Donald Trump “pissed off.”