Britain arms Ukraine: state-of-the-art Paveway IV bombs are on their way to the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukraine is to receive Paveway IV precision-guided bombs in the next package of military aid from the United Kingdom. This was reported by BBC journalist Jonathan Beale on Twitter.
“The latest batch of UK military aid to Ukraine will include Paveway IV bombs,” he wrote.
The journalist did not provide any other details.
The latest batch of U.K. military aid to #Ukraine will include Paveway IV bombs.
– Jonathan Beale (@bealejonathan) April 24, 2024
Paveway IV: what kind of weapon is it?
Paveway IV is a British-made aircraft bomb with a total weight of 230 kilograms, equipped with laser and GPS guidance systems. The bomb also has the function of exploding at a given height.
The weapon is a combination of an electronic guidance system and a modified Mk 82 general-purpose bomb with increased penetration.
Paveway IV has a version designed specifically to destroy fortified bunkers. It replaced the old Paveway III anti-bunker bomb weighing 910 kg in service with the British Army.
According to Defense Express, Paveway IV is an analog of the US JDAM-ER and French AASM Hammer. Analysts emphasize that this is not a long-range aircraft munition, but a conventional free-fall bomb that can be used only at a short range to attack a target “below” it.
“But if we are talking about the possibility of their modification, for example, by adding a rocket accelerator (…), then it becomes possible to actually use them for aircraft,” experts say.
This bomb is one of the standard weapons for the British Harrier II, Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon fighters. It can also be launched from the latest American F-35 fighter jet. There is no evidence that these bombs have ever been used with Soviet-style fighters in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, Ukraine has previously been able to integrate British Storm Shadow missiles with its aircraft. Also, in theory, this bomb can be used with F-16 aircraft, which are soon to be delivered to Ukraine.
It is known that during the US and UK winter strikes on the Houthis in Yemen, Paveway IV bombs were used, among other things.
