Ukrainian forces have successfully impaired the effectiveness of Russian glide bombs through sophisticated electronic warfare. The deployment of the Lima jammer, developed by the Night Watch team in Ukraine, contributed to disrupting Russian airstrikes, Forbes reports.

Last year, Russian fighter-bombers were launching as many as 100 glide bombs per day along the 800-mile front line of the conflict. These satellite-guided bombs, such as the KAB or UMPK, could travel 40 km or more, making them highly effective weapons for the Russians. At the time, Ukrainian forces had few means to counter these attacks.

However, this situation has changed with the introduction of advanced electronic warfare systems. Kazarian, a member of the Night Watch developing such countermeasures, told Forbes that their Lima jammer has been partially responsible for reducing the accuracy of Russian glide bombs. Unlike traditional jammers, which simply emit radio noise, Lima uses digital interference, combining jamming, spoofing, and cyber attacks on the navigation systems of the bombs.

Spiegel: Ukrainians find way to jam Russia’s guided bomb systems

The effectiveness of the Lima jammer reportedly became apparent as the accuracy of Russian bombings dropped, particularly in regional centers like Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. As a result, Russian forces abandoned the tactic of targeting these areas.

Russian military’s adjustment to Ukraine’s jamming

The change in Russian tactics was noted by Fighterbomber, an unofficial Russian air force Telegram channel, which observed that Russian forces had difficulty executing successful bombings around the city of Pokrovsk. Kazarian confirmed that the Lima jammer played a role in this shift, along with other jammers deployed in different areas of Ukraine.

As Russian glide bombs struggle to maintain communication with the GLONASS satellite constellation, they increasingly miss their intended targets, sometimes even landing on Russian or temporarily occupied territories. The Russian forces have been forced to deploy multiple jets to ensure successful strikes, a risky and inefficient tactic given the loss of many modern Sukhoi jets.

Ukrainian electronic warfare has grounded many Russian drones, proving more effective than systems like the S-300 and Patriot. In response, Russia modified its glide bombs and drones to counter the jamming, but Ukraine quickly adapted by recovering downed hardware. Kazarian noted that Night Watch refined the Lima jammer based on these findings. While the Lima jammer has not yet covered the entire front line, Night Watch could produce up to 300 units per month if needed.

Related:

• Spiegel: Ukrainians find way to jam Russia’s guided bomb systems
• Ukraine’s new Long Neptune missile hits Russian target 1,000 km away, Zelenskyy says
• Reuters: Ukraine to receive jamming-resistant GLSDB bombs as ATACMS run out
• Russian bomb strike on Kherson high-rise kills mother, injures her two children
• Russia plans to boost guided bomb production by 50% in 2025