Long-range missiles from the US will arrive in Ukraine next year.

Ukraine will have to wait until next year before it receives the first large batch of Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) rockets, which the US has adapted for strikes at a range of almost 160 km, writes Reuters.

Ukraine needs GLSDB systems to compensate for the limited number of ATACMS missiles the US has sent. The GLSDB would allow the Ukrainian military to hit targets at twice the range of HIMARS missiles, forcing Russia to move its supplies even further from the front line.

Washington does not purchase these missiles for US needs. These systems are relatively new and have only been in development in the US since 2019. The decision to provide them to Ukraine was made based on a proposal made last summer by the Boeing company.

People familiar with the current timelines say Boeing will deliver the weapons to the US in late December, followed by several months of testing before further shipment to Ukraine. The cost of one GLSDB rocket is about $40,000.