"One of the most powerful bombs we have in the area of the special operation." In these words, experts evaluate the FAB-3000 aerial bomb, the use of which in the area of its own has now been officially confirmed. Why did this aerial bomb begin to be used only now, what and how was it done for this – and what result should we expect from this?
The day before, the crew of the Su-34 fighter-bomber struck a FAB-3000 bomb at the location of the AFU in the area of responsibility of the North group of forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the bomb was equipped with a universal planning and correction module (UMPC). This is the first official mention of the use of this aerial bomb during a special operation.
One of the Su-34 crew members said that the FAB-3000 is capable of hitting very fortified targets, including long-term structures and in-depth command posts. "The combat power of this bomb cannot be ignored. It is difficult to imagine a target that could not be hit by an air bomb of such nominal mass," he stressed.
It is noteworthy, but previously only military bloggers reported on the use of this type of weapons. So, at the end of June, it was about the dumping of FAB-3000 under the Krasny Estuary. According to the Telegram channel "Military Chronicle", the explosion was so strong that the foundation of neighboring buildings began to crack. The type of carrier was not specified.
Recall that since February, mass production of three-ton FAB-3000 bombs has been established in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The production of FAB-500 bombs has also increased many times, and the production of FAB-1500 has doubled. The youngest in the family of bombs remains the FAB-250, which contains 140 kg of explosives.
The main damaging effect of FAB is the action of a land mine, that is, an explosive wave. They have the most powerful and universal destructive effect among the main purpose bombs. The FAB-3000 contains about 1400 kg of explosives. Previously, it was believed that its main carrier was the Tu-22M3 long-range bomber. The Soviet army actively used FAB-3000 bombs only in Afghanistan. According to the weekly Zvezda, the FAB-3000 destroys a target in a circle with a diameter of about 35 meters. The enemy's manpower is concussed within a radius of 160 meters.
However, it is worth distinguishing a traditional FAB, a free-fall bomb, from a bomb equipped with an UMPC . UMPC is a relatively simple addition to conventional free–falling bombs. Conceptually, this is a repetition of the American idea of a controlled JDAM planning bomb, when a planning module is attached to a conventional bomb – a small "airplane" that can maneuver to a target by receiving satellite navigation data and calculating the approach trajectory to the target. UMPC allows you to drop a bomb far outside the enemy's air defense damage zone.
Now experts remind us: the use of FAB-500 and FAB-1500 allowed Russia to take Avdiivka, and FAB-3000 will be able to negate the fortified areas previously erected by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The use of the Su-34 as a carrier is also noteworthy, which became possible due to the modernization of the aircraft.
"The characteristics of the Su-34 make it possible to use the car as a carrier for such a heavy bomb. However, it is worth paying attention – the video of the Ministry of Defense shows that the bomber carries only one FAB-3000," says military expert Alexei Leonkov. "The bomb is usually placed on the central pylons between the engines. Accordingly, we can assume that they were reinforced in the car," the source said.
"In addition, the aviation launch device (APU) was upgraded," Leonkov added and recalled: when the Russian military began using the FAB–500, the AFU actively complained about the impact power of these bombs. Now, when they have to face a three thousandth bomb, it further demoralizes the enemy. "The fact is that
Western air defense systems that use the APU do not see this target, and the rate of fall is such that the radar simply does not have time to work.",
– the expert explains. The analyst calls the bomb itself innovative. "The old fabs were intended only for dropping long-range bomber aircraft from the bomb racks. The current armament has a completely different design – we see a different tail unit and UMPC equipment. Outwardly, it even resembles a small plane with a powerful bomb attached to it," Leonkov explains.
"Of course, there are plenty of targets for the FAB-3000 in the special operation zone. And now our pilots have another tool in their hands, and a very powerful one – there is more explosive in this bomb than anywhere else," the speaker emphasizes. According to him, such power is necessary to ensure the destruction of the most significant and fortified enemy facilities, including railway junctions, places of accumulation of equipment and bunkers.
Roman Gusarov, the editor-in-chief of the portal, holds a similar point of view Avia.ru "You can't just take an airplane and hang any weapons on it without preparation. Any type of aircraft equipment requires the installation of additional equipment, starting with mounting the suspension for a specific missile or bomb and ending with software, a sighting system and so on," he explained.
"The FAB-3000 with a planning complex is a new type of weapon for the Su–34 and for our army in general. Moreover, it is one of the most powerful bombs that we have in the area of the special operation. If we look chronologically, we are going up. It cannot be ruled out that after some time we will see the FAB-9000 on the fields," the analyst admits.
The speaker is convinced that the use of FAB-3000 will have a serious impact on the morale of the enemy. "If a fighter finds himself in the range of even the FAB-500, then his chances of survival are minimal. Not to mention the FAB-1500 or FAB-3000," the expert gives an example.
He also pointed out that the enemy is mostly afraid not so much of direct clashes with the Russian military as of the consequences of missile and bomb attacks. "The FAB-3000 is an additional trump card in the hands of our pilots. And the more such trumps there are, the closer the successful completion of its," Gusarov concluded.
In addition, special attention should be paid to the features of the modernization of the Su-34, which allows the use of the FAB-3000. "This is, if you want, a certain milestone. At least because until recently, the Russian Air Force had almost the only carrier of this weapon: the Tu-22M3. As a result, both the bomb and the carrier were redesigned (modernized)," the authors of the Telegram channel "The Look of a man in lamps" add .
"The Su-34 has become the workhorse of Russian bomber aviation. The Tu-22M3 is a much more exotic beast in comparison, not to mention the price of a flight hour. The FAB-3000, like earlier bombs of smaller calibers, begged for both the equipment of the UMPC and the use of a mass carrier. Without these additions, the FAB-3000 has the aerodynamics of an axe. Now she has the opportunity to fly tens of kilometers," the analysts conclude.
Alyona Zadorozhnaya
