Mysterious Russian Grom-E1 weapon devastates Kharkiv homes
The Russians attacked Kharkiv using an experimental weapon that left a significant crater and caused destruction. Here's what is known about the mysterious hybrid of the Grom-E1 bomb and missile.
The Ukrainians report that at exactly 12:51 AM Greenwich Mean Time, on the night of 28 to 29 October 2024, a mysterious hybrid of a missile and bomb, Grom-E1, fell on a house in the Osnovianskyi district. It caused the complete destruction of four houses and damaged 19 others.
Grom-E1 - the mysterious Russian missile bomb
The Russians were said to have used a special rocket bomb developed for the Su-57 aircraft in the attack. Little is known about it, but the first mentions of it are from 2015, and more details were provided by photos of wreckage from Ukraine.
Conceptually, it is an evolution of the FAB-500 bomb with a UMPK module, to which the Ch-38 missile propulsion section was added. The whole assembly is said to weigh about 600 kilograms, of which the explosive material constitutes approximately 315 kilograms.
This concept is similar to the French-guided bombs AASM Hammer, which are also equipped with a rocket booster. As a result, the Russian glide bomb, when released from a high altitude, has a range of up to 120 kilometres. This allows it to attack targets beyond the reach of most anti-aircraft systems.
Only systems like the Patriot, SAMP/T, or S-300 (if Ukraine acquires missiles) can intercept planes flying at high altitudes over a distance of more than 100 kilometres.
The guidance of the Grom-E1 bomb is the same as in the rest of the guided FAB UMPK bombs, relying on a combination of inertial and satellite navigation. This allows for accuracy within a few to several metres, even in the presence of electronic warfare systems. However, with such a large explosive payload, this does not pose a significant problem.
The advantage for Ukrainians is that Grom-E1 bombs are not made by converting old equipment but require new construction. For this reason, their supply is limited, and Russian attacks using them are infrequent.
