--- title: "Ukraine launches the 'Equalizer' bomb series: how new KABs are changing the balance of power in the sky" description: "πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ The AFU has officially purchased a new air bomb called the 'Equalizer' to counter Russia's advantage in the sky. πŸš€ The bomb was developed by DG Industry, costs 3 times less than the American JDAM, and flies up to 130 km. πŸ“‰ The enemy drops more than 300 KABs per day, so Ukraine has launched the production of dozens of similar models. πŸ”₯ The number of strikes on Russia in 2026 has tripled; main targets are the oil sector and air defense. #Ukraine #AFU #Equalizer #MilitaryTechnology" date: 2026-08-17T11:26:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukraine-launches-equalizer-bombs-new-kabs-change-balance-en tags: [ukraine-war, military-tech, air-force, guided-bombs, defense-industry] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ukraine launches the 'Equalizer' bomb series: how new KABs are changing the balance of power in the sky ![Portrait of a bald man with a beard against a green background β€” possibly a developer or operator of the 'Balancer' system linked to Ukraine’s new KABs](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/17/ukraine-launches-vyrivnyuvach-bombs-new-cabs-change-balance/ukraine-launches-vyrivnyuvach-bombs-new-cabs-change-balance-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine has begun purchasing the 'Equalizer' air bomb (250 kg, range up to 130 km). - The cost of the new bomb is 3 times lower than US analogues (JDAM). - The enemy drops more than 300 KABs per day, requiring a response from the AFU. - About 10 promising weapon models are currently under development. - Strikes on Russia in 2026 have tripled, with a main focus on infrastructure and Crimea. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have officially begun purchasing a new domestically produced guided air bomb called the 'Equalizer'. This was announced by Colonel Vladyslav Voloshyn, Head of the Department of the Central Innovation Management of the AFU. The launch of serial production and delivery of this weapon marks an important stage in Kyiv's attempt to compensate for the enemy's quantitative and qualitative advantage in the use of air bombs. ### Response to the enemy's quantitative superiority According to data presented by Colonel Voloshyn, the situation regarding the enemy's use of cruise missiles and guided air bombs (KABs) has significantly intensified in 2026. If in 2025 the average daily effectiveness of the enemy's KAB use was about 180 units, by August 2026 this figure had risen to more than 300 units per day. It is precisely to 'level' the situation that the Ukrainian side has begun mass implementation of its own developments. According to the AFU representative, the task is not only to achieve quantitative parity but also to gain a qualitative advantage. The 'Equalizer' was developed by DG Industry and is an ammunition with a warhead weighing 250 kilograms. Its key feature is the ability to strike targets at operational depth, including in the deep rear of the enemy. ### Technical characteristics and economic efficiency The new Ukrainian air bomb boasts impressive flight range characteristics, ranging from 10 to 130 kilometers. This allows the Ukrainian Air Force to strike strategically important objects located beyond the reach of traditional artillery systems. An important factor for the military department was also the economic component: the cost of the 'Equalizer' is almost three times lower than that of the American analogue JDAM. Voloshyn emphasized that domestic developments are significantly cheaper than Western analogues, which is critical for rapidly scaling up production. The use of glide and correction modules allows ordinary air bombs to be turned into high-precision weapons, which significantly reduces the cost of rearming the fleet. ### Large-scale program for the development of new models The 'Equalizer' is just one element of a large-scale program to modernize Ukraine's air weaponry. According to the colonel, about a dozen promising models of high-precision air weapons are being developed in the country in parallel. All these products have already passed the necessary tests and confirmed their effectiveness during hundreds of aircraft sorties. Previously, back in July 2026, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the AFU Andriy Lebedenko reported that seven manufacturers in Ukraine were developing KABs with turbojet engines. Such engines allow the range of bomb use to be increased by 100–200 kilometers, making it possible to strike targets located beyond the range of enemy air defense systems. ### Impact on the strategy of strikes on Russian territory The introduction of new weapon models correlates with the growing activity of Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Analysts from Associated Press analyzed data for 2026 and found that the number of long-range attacks from Kyiv has tripled compared to January of the current year. The main targets were oil infrastructure, defense plants, air defense facilities, and warehouses, with a significant portion of attacks concentrated around occupied Crimea. Official confirmation of the launch of the 'Equalizer' into series production became known on May 18, 2026, however, active discussion and testing of new systems continued throughout the year. This indicates that Ukraine is moving from a survival tactic to a strategy of active action, using its own technological solutions to change the balance of power. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - ['Equalizer' enters series production: how new Ukrainian KABs will change the situation on the front](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/virivnyuvach-pishov-seriyu-k-novi-ukrayinski-1786965779.html) - Π˜Π½Ρ„ΠΎΡ€ΠΌΠ°Ρ†ΠΈΡ ΠΎ Π·Π°ΠΊΡƒΠΏΠΊΠ΅, характСристиках Π±ΠΎΠΌΠ±Ρ‹ ΠΈ коммСнтариях ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΊΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΈΠΊΠ° Π’ΠΎΠ»ΠΎΡˆΠΈΠ½Π° ΠΏΠΎΠ»Π½ΠΎΡΡ‚ΡŒΡŽ соотвСтствуСт источнику. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is the 'Equalizer'? **A:** The 'Equalizer' is a new Ukrainian guided air bomb developed by DG Industry, designed to strike targets at depths of up to 130 km. ### Q: How many KABs does the enemy drop per day? **A:** According to AFU data, the enemy drops more than 300 units of guided air bombs per day, which is a significant increase compared to 2025. ### Q: How much does the 'Equalizer' cost compared to JDAM? **A:** The cost of the Ukrainian bomb is almost three times lower than that of the American analogue JDAM, which allows for faster production scaling.