Ukraine has declared its first domestically developed glide bomb, the Vyrivniuvach (Ukrainian for “Equalizer”), combat-ready following the completion of all required trials, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced May 18.
The first Ukrainian glide bomb from @BRAVE1ua is ready for combat deployment. Development took 17 months. The warhead weighs 250 kg. The Ukrainian glide bomb features a unique design created specifically for the realities of modern warfare.
Pilots are currently rehearsing… pic.twitter.com/Pnr15iTG9L
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) May 18, 2026
The weapon, manufactured by DG Industry under Ukraine’s Brave1 defense technology cluster, carries a 250-kilogram warhead and is designed to strike targets dozens of kilometers behind enemy lines. Development took 17 months, with the program officially starting in December 2024.
A Brave1 representative told Business Insider that the Vyrivniuvach costs approximately three times less than the U.S.-made Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER), which Ukraine already operates in limited quantities and has sought in larger numbers from Washington.
The weapon can be deployed in any weather and at any time of day, with preparation taking no more than 30 minutes.
The Vyrivniuvach’s design origin separates it from comparable munitions in the theater. Russia has expanded its glide bomb program by converting Soviet-era unguided bombs with bolt-on wing and guidance kits, a process that introduces integration limits and constrains future development.
Ukraine built the Vyrivniuvach as an original airframe from the ground up. Brave1 stated the weapon was “not copied from Western or Soviet systems” and was engineered specifically for current combat conditions.
The released footage shows the bomb deploying from a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 Fencer swing-wing attack aircraft, with the weapon’s extended-range wings activating immediately after release. Formal certification for use on Ukraine’s F-16 and Mirage jets remains pending, a Brave1 representative said.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has already placed an initial order. Fedorov said pilots are “currently rehearsing combat scenarios and adapting the new weapon system for use in real wartime conditions.”
