Ukraine is set to receive a license to produce AASM Hammer precision-guided stand-off bombs developed by Safran, weapons that the Ukrainian Air Force has already been employing effectively in combat. The decision was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron following the latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris.
The AASM Hammer is essentially a guidance kit that converts conventional unguided bombs into long-range precision-guided munitions. It consists of a guidance and navigation module mounted on the front of the bomb and a solid-fuel rocket booster attached to the rear. The system is available for both 250-kg and 1,000-kg bomb classes.
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The guidance module is offered in four configurations, each with a different combination of guidance systems. The SBU-38 uses only an inertial navigation system (INS) and satellite navigation. The SBU-54 adds an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, while the SBU-64 incorporates a semi-active laser seeker. The most advanced LIR variant combines all four guidance methods.
When released from high altitude, the AASM Hammer has a maximum range of approximately 70 km. However, Ukrainian Air Force aircraft typically launch the weapon after flying at very low altitude to reduce exposure to Russian air defenses before performing a pop-up maneuver for release. This significantly reduces the bomb's effective range to only several dozen kilometers.
Safran is already working to extend the weapon's capabilities and has unveiled the AASM Hammer XLR, a new version designed to reach more than 140 km when released from high altitude. It was first presented at the 2025 Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.
The most significant known change is that the AASM Hammer XLR replaces the solid-fuel booster with a compact turbojet engine developed by Safran Power Units (formerly Microturbo). The company is currently focusing on the 250-kg version, which is expected to enter service in 2028, implying that flight-test prototypes could appear as early as 2027.
After completing that project, Safran plans to develop the AASM Hammer XLR for 1,000-kg bombs. Given its expected stand-off range and the destructive power of a one-ton aerial bomb, this version has the potential to become the most capable and strategically valuable member of the AASM Hammer family.
It is also worth noting that France's decision to grant Ukraine a production license for the AASM Hammer is part of a broader package. Ukraine is also expected to receive licenses to manufacture SCALP cruise missiles and Aster surface-to-air missiles for the SAMP/T air defense system, whose production challenges have already been analyzed.
In addition, France announced plans to strengthen the Ukrainian Air Force by transferring 16 Rafale fighter jets, which are expected to come from existing French inventories rather than new production.
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