Ukrainians have developed a new electronic warfare system, capable of jamming not only guided bombs, but also Shahed drones
Guided glide bombs (KABs) are some of the most destructive weapons in Russia's arsenal, striking Ukrainian cities and front-line positions from distances of over 45 km. Dropped from aircraft behind the front lines, out of range of most air defense systems, these bombs have caused widespread damage, with more than 5,700 being dropped on Ukraine in a single month, Forbes reports.
Russian guided bomb PHOTO Russian Ministry of Defense
Efforts to counter them have proven difficult. A 2024 RAND analysis observed that while jamming might offer a solution, “in war, miracle solutions are rare.” Ukraine was initially able to disrupt the bombs' navigation systems, causing them to miss their targets. But Russia adapted, modernizing its receivers and restoring the effectiveness of the bombing.
Now, Ukrainian developers claim to have regained the upper hand over Russian technology.
“The efficiency of KABs has dropped to zero,” said a spokesman for the developers of the Lima-Quant system. “On a segment of about 700 km of the front, the enemy launched 869 KABs in one of the previous months. The consequences of these strikes were minor injuries to eight soldiers.”
The Lima-Quant system is based on technology developed by the same team – also credited for deflecting Kinjal missiles. Like the original Lima model, the new upgraded system was created in collaboration with the Night Watch unit, and not with formal government or military structures, highlighting both innovation and tensions in Ukraine's defense ecosystem.
KABs—short for Korrektiruyemaya Aviatsionnaya Bomba (“Adjustable Aerial Bomb”)—are the Russian equivalent of the American JDAM models. They turn unguided bombs into precision weapons using satellite navigation and fins to hit a predetermined location with an accuracy of about 20 meters under favorable conditions. Most variants can travel over 60 kilometers and carry warheads between 230 and 1,300 kilograms, capable of leaving craters 15 meters wide.
Despite their speed and power, these bombs have one critical vulnerability: their reliance on satellite navigation. Ukrainian forces exploited this aspect in 2024 by jamming, disrupting guidance systems.
“The efficiency of KABs is directly dependent on their guidance system,” explained the spokesperson. “Previously they used the Kometa-4 CRPA, and later – after the expansion of the Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) system – the Kometa-8.”
These CRPA (Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna) systems – adaptive antennas capable of filtering out interference – have become increasingly sophisticated. Early versions could counter a few sources of jamming, but newer models have dramatically expanded their capability.
“The Russians have developed a fundamentally new series of CRPAs,” the spokesman said. “We compare this creation to the Enigma development of World War II. These CRPAs can withstand a level of jamming that significantly exceeds the number of their antenna elements.”
According to the Ukrainian developers, the new Russian systems required dozens of jamming emitters to counter – and in some cases could only be effectively disrupted over short distances, “from tens of kilometers to hundreds of meters”. Therefore, the bombs regained their accuracy.
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The situation changed again with the appearance of Lima-Quant, the technical details of which are, for obvious reasons, secret.
“The KABs were either not hitting the target or could not be launched as the guidance system was generating a navigation error,” the spokesman said. “The Russian pilots did not understand what was happening because navigation on these CRPAs was lost 100 km before the contact line.”
The system affects not only hover bombs, but also Shahed drones. “Targets protected by the Lima EW could not be hit,” he added.
disadvantage
However, technology comes with trade-offs. Electronic warfare does not differentiate between friendly and enemy systems, and Ukrainian forces have reported disruption of their own drones.
“Brigade commanders involved in operations have begun to impose bans on the use of electronic warfare on the grounds that their Mavic drones and bombers are unable to carry out their missions,” the spokesman said. “These bans are our main problem right now.”
Internal tensions complicated the situation. The developers also faced investigations and accusations of corruption, which halted progress for months.
“Competitors, unhappy with the extremely fast pace of Lima implementation, began to make unfounded complaints to the authorities,” the spokesperson said. “The work of the team and the producer was suspended for more than half a year, which resulted in significant losses.”
Despite these obstacles, the system is now being implemented, and the developers claim that its efficiency is unprecedented.
“Today, Lima Quant is the only system in the world capable of suppressing these CRPAs at a range of 50 km; KABs at ranges of over 100 km; and cruise and ballistic missiles at even greater ranges,” the spokesman said.
He added that the system also proved effective against Kinjal missiles: “Out of 42 missiles launched, we managed to neutralize 41 – most of them by disintegrating in the air without detonation.”
Such claims are difficult to independently verify. However, Ukrainian military and officials confirm that electronic warfare is playing an increasingly important role, and there is corroboration from some officers regarding the Lima-Quant capability.
“When deployed on a large enough scale and coordinated across operational sectors, these systems can significantly limit the ability of guided bombs and UAVs to strike their intended targets,” said a Night Watch officer.
Russian sources also acknowledged problems, reporting significant declines in the accuracy of ballistic missile systems such as the Iskander, which ended up missing their targets by a kilometer.
Ultimately, this confrontation reflects a larger pattern of modern warfare: a continuous cycle of adaptation and counter-adaptation.
Electronic warfare, analysts say, is a never-ending race, with every advance quickly countered. For now, if these claims are confirmed, Lima-Quant could offer Ukraine a temporary respite from one of Russia's most devastating weapons, notes Forbes.
