Russia equips thousands of FAB-500 (high-explosive warhead bomb) aviation bombs with universal planning and correction modules (UPCM) per month. The munitions, which are many times cheaper than Kh-101 missiles, are launched from Su-34 fighter-bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces. This is according to military expert Brandon J. Weichert in an article for The National Interest.
FAB-500s with UPCM allow for precise strikes on enemy positions. The Su-34 can carry four such aerial bombs and drop them from a height of up to 10,000 m.
According to Weichert, the Soviet gliding munition is "cheap and deadly." Its charge in TNT equivalent exceeds 200 kg, causing large-scale destruction on the ground.
The FAB-500 began to be equipped with UPCM in 2023. It consists of folding wings, two tail ailerons, and a GLONASS navigation module.
Su-34 pilots operate in pairs or in groups, dropping gliding aerial bombs. Daily, they can use up to 100 FAB-500s with a range of up to 90 km.
The expert stated that one such munition costs less than $20,000. For comparison, the cost of an Kh-101 missile is more than $5 million. Therefore, the Russian Aerospace Forces are betting specifically on the FAB-500.
Read more on the topic:
Su-34 Pilots Showed the Dropping of FAB-500 Aerial Bombs with UPCM on Video for the First Time
"Orlan-10" Reconnaissance Aircraft Corrected the Strike of Two FAB-500s: Combat Footage
Incredible Footage of the FAB-500 Bomb Impact: Diameter – 8 Meters, Depth – 3 Meters
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