As heavy as a Car: Russian FAB-1500 Glide Bomb

The use of old Soviet weapons inherited by russia has been a daily practice for the latter since the beginning of the war. These old Soviet high-explosive bombs (FABs) delivered by fighter jets have been slightly modified – wing kits have been added – and are now used all along the frontline. The most powerful of these, the FAB-1500 bombs, leave nothing but massive destruction. Mind offers you more details about this weapon of the terrorist country from the material published in Frankfurter Rundschau, a German newspaper. The modified bomb causes horror in the war in Ukraine. russia is using the explosive devices to bypass air defenses and break the morale of Ukrainians.

The English translation was prepared by Mind's partner – Bureau translations: MK:Translation.

The russian army has been using multi-ton FAB-1500 glide bombs, remnants of the Soviet era, modified for the war in Ukraine, on the frontlines. The aerial bombs are disorganizing the Ukrainian defense and could threaten the balance of the army. This is not the first time putin has used Cold War-era technology in the Ukrainian war. However, transforming the FAB-1500, a gravity bomb, into a glide bomb has proven to be an effective innovation.

Russia relies on the FAB-1500 glide bomb in the Ukrainian war: the aim is to destroy Ukrainian cities

Casualties in the russo-Ukrainian war have been high since the hostilities began. The targeted use of bombs also causes enormous damage to the country's infrastructure and undermines the morale of the population. After the Ukrainian defenders received an effective air defense thanks to the supply of Western weapons, the russian army's air strikes initially appeared less successful. russia's modified FAB-1500 glide bomb could change that.

This bomb is actually a heavy 1.5-ton weapon, almost half of which is high explosive. The modified bomb can be delivered by fighter jets and glide about 60-70 km to hit the target. This way the pilots avoid Ukrainian air defense systems.
Several videos from the frontline of the russo-Ukrainian war show how effective this method is in practice: putin's fighter jets can stay at a safe distance, while the bombs cause large-scale destruction at the Ukrainian defense line.

Enormous destructive power of FAB-1500 glide bombs: russia uses deadly weapons in Ukraine

The Telegraph also reports on a video, citing russian military bloggers. The video shows the bombs flying at an angle before hitting buildings and exploding in fireballs, as well as the building collapsing after impact. It is clear that the footage was shot near the frontline in Donbas, but it cannot be independently verified. russian propaganda sees the destructive power and effectiveness of the FAB-1500 glide bomb as a testament to the ingenuity and superiority of the russian army.

According to a CNN article on russian glide bombs, the FAB-1500, weighing about the same as a mid-size car, is becoming a deadly weapon in the war in Ukraine due to its control system and folding wing kits. Unlike drones, it stays airborne for a shorter time after being dropped, making it harder for air defenses to hit the target. Among those quoted is Joseph Trevithick, who wrote about the bomb design for TheWarZone. The expert says that glide bombs "represent a new and much more destructive remote attack option for many russian tactical aircraft, helping pilots stay as far away from enemy defenses as possible."

"FAB-1500 means hell": Ukrainian morale threatened by Russian bombs during the war in Ukraine

russian propagandists see the FAB-1500 glide bombs as a miracle weapon and a great success for the russian army. The combat effectiveness of the bombs was also confirmed by Western observers: in early February, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in a report based on russian information that attacks with FAB-1500 glide bombs had intensified.

This puts a lot of pressure on the soldier’s morale. Not all of our guys will survive. They are more or less used to FAB-500, but FAB-1500 means hell," CNN quoted a soldier from the Krasnohorivka front line.

The radius of heavy damage for FAB-1500 can reach about 70 m, medium damage – 140-150 m, and light damage – 300-350 m.

r​ussia uses a new bomb in the war in Ukraine: economical way to increase combat power

The use of FAB-1500 glide bombs is no news. It was first reported last fall. Meanwhile, a factory near moscow plans to convert the former gravity bombs into a cheap but powerful version of the missile. For russia, this appears to be a cost-effective way to increase its combat effectiveness in the war in Ukraine. Glide bombs could also have a significant impact on the course of the war.

Although the glide bomb is a feared weapon on the front line, it has a significant drawback that limits its use: once dropped, the explosive device cannot be controlled as it glides to its target. This makes it unsuitable for use against mobile targets. However, russia is likely to use the FAB-1500 for another reason: russian warfare is based on debilitating destruction before ground forces make a major advance. The current approach may also signal the beginning of a new offensive in the russo-Ukrainian war.

To counter this bombing, either moving air defense systems should be moved to the front line, or F-16 (or Gripen) fighter jets with long-range air-to-air missiles with a range of at least 100 km are the solution. Then shooting down Su-34s with bombs before they even approach the drop zone, or at least launching a missile after the bomber has already dropped its bombs would be possible.