US to resume long-range bomb shipments to Ukraine as ATACMS stockpile runs low

The United States is set to resume shipments of long-range Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDB) to Ukraine after upgrades were made to enhance their ability to counter Russian jamming.

The new munitions will arrive as Ukraine’s stock of similarly ranged Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) is reported to have run out, two sources familiar with the weapon told Reuters.

The GLSDBs, purchased under the US administration of former President Joe Biden as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, will bolster Ukraine's efforts in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The US has already provided Ukraine with nearly $33.2 billion in new arms and military equipment, procured directly from US and allied defence contractors.

This development follows a recent decision by President Donald Trump's administration to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv expressed its readiness to support Washington's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

In recent weeks, 19 GLSDBs were test-fired to assess the effectiveness of the upgrades. The modifications included strengthening the connections within the weapon to make it more resistant to interference. The upgraded weapons could be deployed on the battlefield in the coming days, with a stockpile already in place in Europe. The last time the GLSDBs were used by Ukrainian forces was several months ago.

Previously, Russian jamming had prevented many of Ukraine’s newer GLSDBs from successfully reaching their targets. According to three people familiar with the issue, this was a significant problem reported last May. The weapon's navigation system, which enables it to be steered around obstacles like mountains and anti-air defences, was vulnerable to Russian jamming efforts.

Russia’s tactics of jamming involved overwhelming signals, disrupting communications, and interfering with devices such as radios, drones, and GPS-guided munitions.

For the past year, Ukraine has been seeking weapons with greater range than the US-provided GMLRS rockets, which have a range of 43 miles (69 km). The goal was to hit and disrupt Russian supply lines and command points. To meet this need, Boeing presented the GLSDB to the Pentagon, a weapon with a 100-mile (161 km) range.

The GLSDB is made up of the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) and the M26 rocket motor, both commonly found in US military inventories and designed to be relatively inexpensive.

Boeing, which manufactures the GLSDB in collaboration with SAAB AB, declined to comment on the resumed shipments. The weapon was developed long before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 but has become a key asset in Ukraine’s arsenal due to its range and precision.

By Tamilla Hasanova