CORRECTION: The story was corrected on January 6 to note that Taiwanese TRC’s name was falsely used in the Russian-Chinese scheme to evasion sanctions. Read more…
A new report has revealed allegations that a Taiwanese company, TRC, has been modifying and producing servomechanisms for Russia’s deadly glide bombs, a UMPK system that converts unguided aerial bombs into guided munitions.
The information from activist Vadym Labas raises concerns about the role of foreign suppliers in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to Labas, Russian defense officials turned to TRC to address issues with servomechanisms originally designed for the automotive industry. These components reportedly struggled to manage the load on UMPK’s pop-out wings, leading to frequent failures.
“In its initial design, the TRC servomechanism did not meet Russia’s needs due to frequent mechanical failures under load,” Labas stated.
As a result, Russian forces were experiencing more self-inflicted incidents than effective strikes.
He noted that over the past year, TRC made at least five modifications to the design at the request of Russia’s defense industry, and these changes are ongoing.
The UMPK, or Unifitsirovannyi Modul Planirovaniya i Korrektsii, modules include a pop-out wing kit and a guidance package, allowing standard aerial bombs to glide towards targets with increased accuracy. While not on par with Western precision-guided munitions like the JDAM, these systems have become a critical component of Russia’s aerial strategy in Ukraine. Military analysts estimate that these glide bombs now account for 20% of Russia’s operational advantage in the conflict.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has significantly increased its use of UMPK-equipped glide bombs. In May 2023, Russian forces were reportedly deploying approximately 25 glide bombs daily. That figure has since risen to at least 60 per day, with occasional spikes exceeding 100.
Labas criticized both Taiwanese and U.S. authorities for allowing these modifications to continue. “Could the U.S. halt the supply of these components from Taiwan with a single phone call? Absolutely. Could Taiwan itself stop this in a day? Without question. Unfortunately, financial interests appear to be taking precedence,” he remarked.
Ukrainian military officials have highlighted the deadly impact of these glide bombs, which have been used extensively against both military and civilian targets. “These weapons have become one of the most lethal and effective systems used by Russian forces against our troops,” a Ukrainian defense official noted.
The ongoing supply and modification of UMPK components underscore the complexities of global supply chains and their role in modern conflicts. The allegations against TRC, if substantiated, could prompt greater scrutiny of dual-use technologies and efforts to tighten export controls. As Ukraine faces mounting challenges from Russia’s enhanced aerial capabilities, the focus on disrupting these supply chains has become increasingly urgent for Kyiv and its allies.