Factbox-U.S. rocket-powered bomb would double Ukraine’s strike range

(Reuters) – The United States is expected to send a new weapon to Ukraine, the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), doubling Kyiv’s current strike range.

Below are some details about the weapon:

* Ukraine’s longest-range weapon currently is the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). Its rockets can travel 48 miles (77 kilometers) while the GLSDB’s range is 94 miles (151 km). Greater range would allow the Ukrainian military to attack Russian forces from a greater distance or potentially penetrate more deeply into Russian-held territory.

* The rocket-powered GLSDB combines the GBU-39 small-diameter bomb, typically dropped from planes, with the M26 rocket motor, both of which are common in U.S. military inventories.

* GLSDB is made jointly by Sweden’s SAAB AB and Boeing Co and had its first flight test in 2015.

* GLSDB could be delivered as early as spring 2023, according to a Boeing document seen by Reuters.

* The GLSDB’s technological advances make it potentially more effective. The navigation system enables it to be steered around obstacles like mountains and known anti-air defenses, unlike traditional artillery that follows a parabolic arc towards its target.* The weapon is also equipped to defeat some jamming attempts and has a programmable explosive.

(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)