(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The recent enhancement of Russian “dumb” bombs to “smart” bombs after being equipped with the Universal Module for Planning and Correction (UMPC), or Unifitsirovannyi Modul Planirovaniya i Korrektsii (UMPK), has reportedly instilled a high level of panic and fear within the Ukrainian military.
According to a report by the German television station “Welt,” Ukrainian forces swiftly abandoned their defense positions upon deployment to the front lines due to concerns regarding the upgraded Russian “dumb” bombs, now equipped with the UMPC kit to become “smart” bombs.
These enhanced bombs, also referred to as “glide bombs,” have proven to be highly effective, as acknowledged by the German television station.
The effectiveness of the upgraded Russian “dumb” bombs with the UMPC kit has been attributed to their increased range and precision.
The German television station highlighted that Ukrainian military bases fortified outside the protection zone of their air defense systems have become vulnerable targets for these upgraded bombs.
Notably, the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti quoted a Russian military analyst stating that the use of the FAB-500 “dumb” bombs with the UMPC kit poses a significant challenge to the Ukrainian military.
The primary concern for the Ukrainian forces lies in their air defense systems’ incapacity to counter these bombs.
The upgraded “dumb” bombs with the UMPC kit are characterized as being stealthy against air defense systems since they do not emit electromagnetic radio or radar signals, nor do they produce detectable heat from engines that infrared (IR) air defense systems can track.
Russia has employed these upgraded bombs to target fortified Ukrainian defense positions located beyond the coverage of air defense systems.
The Su-34 bomber aircraft is frequently used by the Russian military to deploy these UMPC-equipped bombs against Ukrainian military positions.
Recent reports indicate that the Russian Air Force has begun deploying the FAB 1500 M54 “dumb” bombs, weighing 1.5 tons, equipped with gliders and the UMPC kit in operational areas in Ukraine.
In tests conducted, the Su-34 “Fullback” aircraft, armed with the 1.5-ton bombs, successfully hit targets with precision.
The FAB 1500 M54 bombs, equipped with the UMPC kit, are reported to have a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 5 meters.
Defense analysts in Russia assert that the FAB 1500 M54 bombs, when equipped with the UMPC kit, can travel distances of up to 80 km after being dropped by fighter aircraft.
With this stand-off capability, Russian Air Force fighters can deploy these bombs at greater distances without entering the tightly controlled airspace of Ukraine’s air defense system.
The FAB 1500 M54 “dumb” bombs, weighing 1.5 tons and equipped with the UMPC kit, carry up to 700 kg of explosive material, capable of creating a crater up to 15 meters deep. The blast radius resulting from the detonation of these 1.5-ton bombs is reported to be 2 km. – DSA
DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA APPS
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