The United Kingdom has included Paveway IV laser-guided bombs in its latest military aid package to Ukraine, marking the first instance of such assistance.
Military commentator Jonathan Beal revealed this on its X account, indicating that these bombs were part of the recently announced aid package totaling a record £500 million (approximately $617 million).
However, while the official list and description of transferred weaponry included 1,600 strike and anti-aircraft missiles, as well as Storm Shadow cruise missiles, there was no mention of Paveway IV or any other bombs.
Paveway IV, a highly precise bomb with GPS or laser guidance, boasts a flight range of over 30 km depending on the release altitude and trajectory.
Latest batch of U.K. military aid to #Ukraine will include Paveway IV bombs .
— Jonathan Beale (@bealejonathan) April 24, 2024
Weighing 230 kg, it serves as a counterpart to the American JDAM and the French AASM. While American allies already utilize JDAMs in support of Ukraine, the arrival of French bombs is still pending.
Developed by the British division of Raytheon, Paveway IV surpassed JDAM in the British Ministry of Defence’s procurement process, entering service in 2008. Currently, it is exclusively employed by the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.