Ukraine will receive a new batch of SCALP cruise missiles from France, otherwise known as Storm Shadow, and some unspecified bombs, expected to arrive alongside French President Emmanuel Macron with a work trip to Kyiv this February. The new provision is dedicated to the signing of a bilateral agreement between the countries, similar to the one earlier concluded between Ukraine and the UK.
The announcement comes from President Macron himself during a press conference. He specified that Ukraine would get 40 more SCALP missiles for long-range strikes and "several hundred bombs." Although he didn't mention the name of the product, we can most certainly assume that this is the AASM Hammer from Safran.
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This is because such weapons usually don't get an additional announcement if it's not about a new type or a particularly sophisticated weapon is to be provided. And France possesses an option that fits both descriptions and would have much value if supplied to Ukraine.
Some label the AASM Hammer as a hybrid of a bomb and a missile but technically it is an ordinary bomb with a special attachment kit that increases the range and precision of strike.
Central to the design is either a 250-kg Mk 82 or a 1,000-kg BLU 109 or Mk 8, as shown below. The tail of the kit, called Range Extension Kit (REK), can be equipped with a solid fuel engine; the head comes in three variants of guidance systems: satellite only or with additional thermal or laser semi-active guidance. Additionally, there's an option of airburst detonation.
The declared range of the bomb is over 70 km. This is an important parameter because it allows dropping the standoff weapon from a relatively safe distance, although it still depends on the altitude of the carrier during the launch. The bomb's manufacturer provides the following infographic to illustrate how the AASM Hammer is used from a low-altitude nap-of-the-earth flight.
It does not allow for detailed estimates but we can see the bomb can attack from within the covered distance of a medium-range air defense missile system. This is approximately between 20 km and 100 km.
Next, there is the issue of integrating this weapon into the arsenal of Ukrainian aircraft, if it does get provided to Ukraine's Air Force. The current main AASM operator is Rafale, there were also trial launches performed by the F-16, Mirage 2000, and the Mirage F1 which was additionally equipped with Hasas (Hammer Stand Alone System). Also, India used to buy these bombs in 2020 to integrate with Tejas.
The AASM Hammer bombs were utilized in Afghanistan and Libya with a reported 99% effectiveness.
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