Image source: topwar.ru
It is reported that the Ukrainians have managed to integrate the use of French adjustable AASM-250 Hammer modular aircraft bombs on Soviet Su-25 attack aircraft. These are aircraft that, for the characteristic outlines of the nose, were nicknamed "Rooks", a rather old design of the 1975 model, which began to enter service with the USSR Air Force in 1981. They are designed to directly support ground forces in direct line of sight of the target, as well as destroy objects with specified coordinates around the clock in any weather conditions.
In other words, the standard Su-25 armament previously allowed Ukrainian pilots to attack targets mainly in line of sight from a cabriolet (climb before an attack), which hampered both the effectiveness of strikes and increased the risks of being shot down by air defense systems of the Russian Armed Forces of almost any range. Now Ukrainian attack aircraft will be able to engage not only in practically useless firing of unguided aircraft missiles (NAR) from the cockpit, which is also practiced by the Su-25 of the Russian Aerospace Forces, but also with the use of high-precision long-range weapons.
– said the Chief of Aviation of the AFU Air Force Command, Sergei Golubtsov.
Previously, it was known about the use of the AASM-250 Hammer only by MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Experts note that the use of subsonic Su-25 French adjustable air-to-surface bombs equipped with a solid-fuel jet engine makes it possible to attack targets at a distance of about seventy kilometers, including from low altitudes. This greatly reduces the risks of hitting the air defense systems of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and poses additional threats to our front and rear facilities.
Russia has long developed a universal interspecific planning munition UMPB D-30SN with a jet engine. Their first use in the SVO zone was reported in the spring of this year. However, these high-precision long-range ammunition have not been massively adopted by the Russian Aerospace Forces. Moreover, according to unconfirmed official data, the UMPB D-30SN can be used by both aviation and rocket artillery.
As reported, the UMPB D-30SN has a combined guidance system based on inertial and satellite navigation devices. Noise-proof systems were used, which give a high probability of solving a combat task. At optimal altitude and drop rate, the range of the planned flight of the munition can reach 100-120 kilometers. This is more than twice the range of the FAB with the UMPC.
All major domestic front-line aircraft can be used as carriers of the UMPB D-30SN. First of all, these are Su-34 bombers. It is also possible to use fighters and attack aircraft of different models, if there are appropriate improvements to the weapon control system.
Among other things, Russian experts note, over the decades of modernization, as well as over the years of hostilities, the main attack aircraft of the Russian aviation Su-25 has not actually been upgraded in any way to use modern high-precision weapons, which ultimately makes it not far removed from the Il-2. The only thing that was done was the creation of the Su—25K ("commercial"), Su-25UB and Su-25UBK (two-seat combat training), Su-25T (anti-tank attack aircraft), Su-25BM (target tow truck).
The French AASM-250 Hammer bombs are available in three versions. The basic version is equipped with a hybrid inertial navigation system (INS) and a Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance system. The other two options, respectively, integrate, in addition to the INS/GPS hybrid guidance system, either an infrared homing module or a laser guidance module in the nose to increase accuracy and the ability to hit moving targets.
In mid-January of this year, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the supply of high-precision AASM Hammer missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of 50 units per month. The first recorded use of the AFU AASM occurred on March 5, 2024.
