(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — For the first time in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian bombers have dropped a three-ton bomb, dubbed the FAB-3000, equipped with a Universal Module for Planning and Correction (UMPK) guidance kit on targets in Ukraine.
Russian social media has broadcasted videos of these three-ton bombs hitting targets in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Despite the bomb, equipped with a 1.4-ton charge of Trinitrotoluene (TNT), missing its intended target by approximately 15 meters, it still caused significant destruction to the targeted building.
Months ago, the Russian military reportedly resumed mass production of the FAB-3000 bomb, which was first developed during World War II by the Soviet Union.
The explosion radius of the FAB-3000 is about 900 meters, capable of causing extensive damage to either buildings or military bases.
While bombs from the FAB family were originally made without any guidance systems, they are now equipped with the UMPC/UMPK kit, akin to the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits used by the United States military, which transform unguided bombs into smart bombs.
The UMPC/UMPK kit not only enhances the “intelligence” of these bombs but also extends their range due to included “wings” that allow them to glide further after being released from aircraft.
These bombs, equipped with UMPC/UMPK kits and glider features, can strike targets up to 80 kilometers away.
Bombs equipped with UMPC/UMPK kits are described as resistant to air defense systems because they do not emit any electromagnetic, radar, or heat signals that could be detected by infrared (IR) sensors of air defense systems.
At present, the Russian military has extensively used FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs, weighing 500 kilograms and 1.5 tons respectively, to strike Ukrainian military positions effectively, as claimed by Moscow.
Recognizing the effectiveness of the FAB bombs equipped with UMPC/UMPK kits in Ukraine, the Russian military is now enhancing the capabilities of the FAB family by introducing the three-ton FAB-3000.
According to Russian military analysts, the three-ton FAB-3000 bombs equipped with UMPC/UMPK will be dropped by bombers such as the Tu-22M3, instead of the Su-34 fighter jets used previously.
However, Ukraine’s nightmare with the FAB-3000 may not end there, as there are two more members of its family, the five-ton FAB-5000 and the nine-ton FAB-9000.
To date, Russia has not decided whether it will resume production of the FAB-5000 and FAB-9000 bombs, but this may also depend on the evolving conditions on the battlefield in Ukraine. — DSA