[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jdams-ukraine-162445145.html

OK! a bunch of questions answered. We are supplying the guidance units and the bombs. We are also supplying adapters between the Russian pylons and the NATO pylons. These are undoubtedly a bit of a kludge and possibly not safe at supersonic speeds, but can work. In order to communicate the bombing parameters an RF link (Bluetooth) is being used. It probably requires installing an antenna that can "see" the pylon adapter, as radiating directly out of the cockpit probably wouldn't work on most Russian aircraft. Too much metal in the way. Installing an antenna (drilling a single small hole) isn't too hard to do in any case. In the US the safety of flight guys would go nuts, but there is a war on in Ukraine and we are already supplying adapters that probably haven't been extensively tested :-) If the intended platforms are SU-25s, the speed is a non-issue. There you have it.

This is great in that we have LOTS of JDAMS and can make more. The main limitation is the number of Ukrainian aircraft available and their survivability. As noted above, the Patriot can be intended to address that shortcoming, at least in large measure.

[Goose]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jdams-ukraine-162445145.html

OK! a bunch of questions answered. We are supplying the guidance units and the bombs. We are also supplying adapters between the Russian pylons and the NATO pylons. These are undoubtedly a bit of a kludge and possibly not safe at supersonic speeds, but can work. In order to communicate the bombing parameters an RF link (Bluetooth) is being used. It probably requires installing an antenna that can "see" the pylon adapter, as radiating directly out of the cockpit probably wouldn't work on most Russian aircraft. Too much metal in the way. Installing an antenna (drilling a single small hole) isn't too hard to do in any case. In the US the safety of flight guys would go nuts, but there is a war on in Ukraine and we are already supplying adapters that probably haven't been extensively tested :-) If the intended platforms are SU-25s, the speed is a non-issue. There you have it.

This is great in that we have LOTS of JDAMS and can make more. The main limitation is the number of Ukrainian aircraft available and their survivability. As noted above, the Patriot can be intended to address that shortcoming, at least in large measure.