Ukraine has successfully adapted its Su-25 attack aircraft to deploy the advanced French AASM HAMMER precision-guided bombs, enhancing their capability to strike Russian forces with greater accuracy and effectiveness.
This development was reported by the defense publication Militarniy, citing a statement from Colonel Serhiy Holubtsov, the head of aviation for the Ukrainian Air Force Command.
“Our Su-25 aircraft have been modernized and can now deploy bombs equipped with rocket engines. These are called HAMMER bombs, and we are using them very successfully,” Colonel Holubtsov stated. He highlighted the importance of these upgrades given the depletion of Ukraine’s stockpile of unguided aerial munitions in the first year of intense combat operations.
Initially, the Ukrainian Air Force relied on existing stockpiles of unguided munitions for the Su-25 jets. As these supplies dwindled, the United States provided Zuni rockets from its reserves to maintain the operational capability of Ukrainian attack aircraft. However, the stock of Zuni rockets also ran out, and restarting production was deemed impractical due to the Western shift towards precision-guided weapons.
To keep the Su-25 jets in service, the Ukrainian military adapted them to deploy the French AASM HAMMER bombs. This adaptation allows for greater precision and extended strike capabilities, making the Su-25 jets more effective in their roles.
The AASM HAMMER system transforms free-falling unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions by integrating a guidance section and a rocket booster.
The AASM HAMMER (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire, or Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a state-of-the-art French-made weapon system that converts standard unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions. The system includes a guidance kit with fins and a rear-mounted rocket booster to extend the range of the bomb.
Ukraine received these munitions as part of the military aid package from France, and they are now actively used in combat operations against Russian occupying forces.