Russian forces have used cutting-edge weaponry to launch an attack on the center of Kherson.
According to Militarnyi, the wreckage of the Russian Grom-1 air-to-surface weapon system was found at the site of the attack.
Grom is a Russian air-to-surface weapon with a pair of pop-out wings. Despite the destruction witnessed in the aftermath, the overall dimensions and remnants align with known details of a specific variant of this weapon, referred to as Grom-1. Remarkably, this weapon system was only introduced into service in 2013.
While precise technical specifications of the Grom remain challenging to discern, available information suggests that Grom-E1, a specific variant, weighs 594 kg, measures 4.2 meters in length, has a diameter of 0.31 meters, and boasts a wing span of 1.9 meters. The missile incorporates a 315-kilogram fragmentation-explosive (OF) warhead combined with an impact detonator. Its powerplant, weighing 161 kg, consists of two solid-propellant engines, a booster, and a reducer. Furthermore, Grom-E1 offers modularity with other Russia’s Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) air-to-surface missile family, including the solid-propellant engine used in the Kh-38ME short-range air-to-surface missile.
The Grom weapon system is adaptable for deployment on aircraft such as the Su-34, Su-35, and the advanced Su-57. These missiles are known to have an effective range of 70 km, with some reports suggesting a range of up to 120 km.
This marks not the first but a concerning instance of this type of missile’s usage following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The initial unsuccessful employment of the Grom-1 missile occurred on March 12, 2023, when technical issues caused the missile to crash in a privately owned area of temporarily occupied Donetsk.
Importantly, this incident represents the first confirmed use of such missiles by Russian forces on the Kherson front, where remnants of these missiles were previously discovered in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.