On the last day of summer 2024, August 31, Russian terrorists hit Kharkov with a Grom-E1 air bomb. The occupiers used the same projectile during the shelling of the city on the night of October 29. This is not a new development of the Russians, but this weapon has been modified recently in order to continue to attack civilian targets in Ukraine.
These shells have been used before, for example, in the Donetsk and Kharkov regions. It was used to attack Mirnograd in March of this year.
In this way, the Russians want to increase the effectiveness of their terror against Ukrainians.
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What is the Grom-E1 bomb, what are its characteristics and range of destruction — read on ICTV Facts.
Grom-E1: what is known
Grom-E1 was created on the basis of the Soviet Kh-38 missile. In essence, this weapon is a hybrid of a gliding bomb and a missile.
The first use of this aerial bomb in the Russian-Ukrainian war became known in March 2023.
This means of destruction was first presented at the international air show MAKS-2015.
The Grom-E1 aerial bomb, unlike conventional gliding bombs, has a jet engine, which allows for an increase in the range of destruction.
In addition, the Grom-E1 projectile has a high-explosive fragmentation modular warhead with a contact detonator. In addition to the standard high-explosive fragmentation part, a development in a thermobaric version with the possibility of high-altitude detonation was also declared.
Photo: Russian Defense Ministry
Military observers say the bomb's advantage is that it can descend at a large angle before hitting a target.
The MiG-35, Su-34, Su-35, Su-57 and helicopters can carry the said projectile.
The Grom-E1 missile-bomb uses inertial and satellite navigation systems for guidance. The first demonstration of the munition took place in 2015. As of 2019, it was reported that testing of the Grom-E1 had been completed.
Grom-E1: characteristics
- projectile weight – 594 kg;
- warhead weight – 315 kg;
- range of destruction – up to 120 km;
- navigation – inertial and satellite.
It is noteworthy that for this aerial bomb the maximum range of destruction depends on how high and fast the projectile carrier flies. Accordingly, as noted in Defense Express, the figure of 120 km is realized, if we believe the declarations of the developer, the Russian corporation Tactical Missile Weapons, when dropped from an altitude of 12 km and a speed of 1600 km/h.
— With lower flight indicators, the range may well be less, which is also indicated by the illustration for the Grom-E1 presentation, in which the range of destruction when dropped from an altitude of 5 km is about 35 km, — the report says.
At the same time, observers point out that given the small number of photos and videos of aircraft with the X-38, this missile remains rare in the Russian Federation.
