French President Emmanuel Macron and Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced the transfer of “several hundred” air-to-surface bombs to Ukraine. This includes modern AASM Hammer guided aerial bombs.
Minister Lecornu, presenting French military assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), pointed to the significant volumes of assistance provided. Among them, SCALP aircraft missiles and Caesar self-propelled artillery systems have already been received, which by the end of 2024 will number over 70, in addition to the fifty transferred earlier. It was also noted that starting this year, France plans to increase the monthly number of 155-mm shells transferred to the AFU from 2,000 to 3,000.
The press service of the French Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the Ukrainians will receive AASM winged aerial bombs in the near future. According to them, these aerial bombs will allow the Ukrainian military to carry out precise long-range strikes to hit the rear of the Russian combat system.
Minister Lecornu also announced plans to deliver 50 bombs each month starting in January, which he said could significantly change the situation in the frontline area.
The AASM (from the French “Armement Air-Sol Modulaire” – “modular air-ground armament”) HAMMER (abbreviation of “Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range”) technology was developed by the French company Safran over 15 years ago and has undergone a number of modifications and improvements over the following years.
This technology involves installing a special kit on a conventional aircraft bomb, making it highly accurate and capable of long-range strikes. The AASM Hammer can be used with various standard bomb cases (125, 250, 500 and 1000 kg).
According to the manufacturer, this weapon system is autonomous and insensitive to obstacles, capable of being launched from a low altitude over terrain. The bomb is equipped with special devices at the front and rear, which turn it into a high-precision munition.
A guidance system is installed on the front, which can be satellite, infrared or laser, the latter even allowing it to hit fast-moving targets. At the rear, the bomb is equipped with an acceleration system with a solid-fuel jet engine and wings.
This allows the AASM Hammer to be used at a distance of about 60-70 km, regardless of weather conditions and at low altitudes. The mechanism of operation of this bomb-missile hybrid is based on the “fire and forget” principle, where the projectile independently maneuvers to reach the target specified by the gunner, without the participation of the aircraft pilot.
Currently, it is known about the use of this weapon from Western fighters, such as the French Rafale and the American F-16. In the case of integration with the Ukrainian Su-24M or MiG-29, which is a plan for use in Ukraine, adaptation to these Soviet aircraft will be required. However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine already have experience in successfully integrating Western Storm Shadow/SCALP aircraft missiles.
In 2011, only 1,424 AASM Hammer kits were produced, half the number expected according to official information.
Also at that time, a scandal arose in the French media when it turned out that the cost of the AASM Hammer, including development, was 360 thousand euros, while a similar American JDAM kit cost only 25 thousand dollars.
However, it is worth noting that French bombs have already been ordered and are being used by the armies of Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, and Croatia.
Defense Express speculates about “fairly significant stocks” of bombs in France itself and the possibility of a “warm” production line at the manufacturer.
In addition, the developer is actively working on improving the characteristics of the bomb, in particular, increasing the range of use to 150-200 km.
French AASM Hammer bombs are preparing to become a significant addition to the Ukrainian army.
Even with similar sets of “smart bombs,” including American JDAMs, already being used at the front, Ukraine has experienced only limited supplies of such American weapons, which makes its mass use difficult.
Compared to Ukraine, Russia has successfully implemented mass production and use of its “smart bombs,” such as CABs (guided aerial bombs) and UMPKs (bombs with a universal planning and correction module).
Launched from a fighter or bomber, these munitions have significantly greater range and accuracy thanks to satellite or inertial navigation.
In 2023, these bombs became practically the main air weapon of the Russian army and were actively used during hostilities near Avdiivka and in the Kherson region. A large number of these bombs were dropped on various areas, demonstrating their high effectiveness.
Although guided aerial bombs do not pose a threat to the rear areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to the distance maintained by Russian aircraft, the AASM Hammer's high accuracy can effectively destroy positions at significant distances deep into the front line.
Taking into account the capabilities of French bombs, Ukrainian aviation will be able to more effectively destroy Russian defensive fortifications, command posts, and reduce pressure on infantry and artillery units.
With the Hammer's accuracy, unlike Russian KABs and UMPKs, the Ukrainian Air Force will be able to neutralize moving targets, such as air defense systems or ammunition columns, at a distance from the front line.
