In October 2024, Russian forces recovered a crashed Ukrainian balloon with an improvised payload. Unlike in previous balloon-borne IED attack attempts, the payload of the balloon on this occasion was much larger and was based on a guided munition – a glide bomb, intended to be released over a targeted area inside Russia. This incident marks the first example of balloon-borne improvised guided munition payloads in the conflict.
The specific balloon used had the ability to achieve an accurate strike using GNSS, the height could be controlled, and the munition itself was guided.
The idea behind the delivery of glide bombs via balloons is similar to the idea of the guided multiple launch rocket system currently employed in the battlefield to launch these weapons from the ground, and represents a significant evolution in capability.
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