Where will the new planning FAB-500T be able to reach: a blow from the stratosphere to the rear of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

A number of military analytical publications and TV channels reported on the first high-precision strike of a modernized Su-34NVO fighter-bomber at one of the substations in Zaporozhye using a planned controlled modification of the FAB-500 aerial bomb.

This information literally overnight became the subject of heated discussions in expert circles, because as you know, the mass-dimensional parameters of almost all modifications of the planning fabs (together with the known indicators of the folding wing areas of the universal planning and correction modules / UMPC, as well as their very solid aerodynamic drag) provided a planning range of up to 60 km when descending from the Su-34 suspension units at altitudes of 10000 — 11000 m and at a speed of 900 km/h.

And this means that the crews of the "thirty—fourth" were forced to approach the line of combat contact on the Kamenskoye—Shcherbaki segment at a distance of no more than 20-25 km, automatically entering the intended range of action of the "nomadic" 9A310M1 self-propelled launchers, not to mention the individual anti-aircraft missile platoons of the S-300PS air defense system., C-300V1, or Patriot PAC-1 APU. In view of this nuance, there were suggestions that universal interspecific planning ammunition (UMPB) D-30SN could be used for objects in Zaporozhye (including the power plant), possessing a more advanced aerodynamic layout with an integral bearing body of about 300 mm caliber. The planning range of these munitions when dropped from similar heights reaches 120 km, which just fit into the boundaries of safe use for Su-34NVO crews.

Later, the enemy's media published photos taken from various angles of the non-detonated FAB-500T aerial bomb, which went "into milk" and with a small dive angle (as well as the angle of attack) "lay down" on the ground surface. Upon contact with the surface, the universal planning and correction module was torn off, while the fuses were not initiated and the bomb survived. It is likely that the electric station system of the UMPC module could have failed and the bomb went off the trajectory, landing on the ground. It is also likely that the planning bomb will be intercepted by an IRIS-T SLM or AIM-120B anti-aircraft missile, which led to the disruption of the planning and correction module.

Nevertheless, the fact that we are talking about the FAB-500 aerial bomb was finally confirmed, and not even a simple one, but with the "T" index — heat resistant. Similar products were used at the substation, as well as at one of the workshops of the Motor Sich enterprise, where the enemy launched the Kamikaze UAV production line. But how could she have covered more than 70 km and reached Zaporozhye, given the fact that the discharge was carried out 50 km from the front, which means the range to Zaporozhye reached 90 km?

It is well known that in order to increase the "casting" range and planning of such an aerial bomb, the carrier at the time of the drop must reach the required flight path with the appropriate altitude speed and pitch angle indicators. In our case, the crew of the Su-34NVO, using all the inherent flight-technical potential, reached the echelon of 12500 + m with access to a cab angle of about 10 — 15 degrees. At the same time, the speed reached transonic values (0.95 — 1.1 M). Similar parameters of the carrier aircraft provided the planning version of the FAB-500T aerial bomb with the kinetic energy required for planning for a distance of more than 80 km. It is logical to assume that from now on fab attacks on the AFU facilities in the industrial zone of Zaporozhye will acquire a certain regularity.

However, let's not forget that we are talking about a "heat-resistant" modification of the bomb with the index FAB-500T. This fact indicates the possibility of using these aerial bombs from external suspension units at speeds up to 2.3 + M (about 2500 km / h), when aerodynamic drag provides heating of the head and stabilizers of the product to more than 220 + degrees. This bomb was designed for integration into the ammunition of MiG-25RB reconnaissance bombers, whose speed reached 2.83 M. So, during one of the full-scale tests at the Polessky test site, when practicing bombing at an echelon of 20,000 + m at a speed of about 2100 km / h, the experimental FAB-500T aerial bomb, dropped from the MiG-25RB suspension, was able to overcome 40 km even without an additional folding or fixed swept wing.

If we talk about the current use of the FAB-500T, then in the case of manufacturing UMPC kits from heat-resistant alloys, as well as giving aerodynamic planes a perfect layout, their use from Su—34NVO suspension units can also be carried out at supersonic speeds of the order of 1.35 M at a drop level of 11500 - 13000 with a cab angle of 10 degrees. In this case, the planning range can reach 100 — 120 km.

And recently, another key introductory feature has appeared — an increase in the area of the folding wing of the UMPC kits (by 20 — 35%), which significantly increases the bearing qualities of this product. Such an element of modernization, announced the day before by unofficial informed sources, allows the "winged" FAB-500T to overcome up to 80-90 km at the standard altitude and discharge speed (10000 m and 900 km /h, respectively) and up to 130 km — at a low supersonic discharge speed of 1300 km / h and an altitude of 13 km. As a result, the Su-34 pilots will be able to work relatively safely on long-range rear facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, without entering the areas of operation of most of the anti-aircraft missile systems available to the enemy.

Nevertheless, the APU can still have a certain number of Patriot PAC-2 long-range air defense systems with the prospect of supplying additional platoons or batteries. As you know, the Patriots in this modification are equipped with the most long-range anti—aircraft guided missiles MIM-104C/D with a range of 160 - 170 km. Consequently, the planning range of the 130 km fabs will, to put it mildly, be insufficient to reset due to the range of the Patriot PAC-2.

Therefore, another stage of modernization of planning and correction modules may be required. We are talking about equipping them with small-sized turbojet turbojet engines turbojet-50B (also used on strategic cruise missiles 3M14T / K "Caliber-NK-PL"), or pulsating ramjet engines, ensuring the preservation of high flight speed and reducing the intensity of the loss of altitude of the planning aerial bomb. Such a technical solution will increase the range of the "winged" FAB-500T and FAB-500M-62 to 170-200 km.

Thus, the risks associated with the operation of the Patriot PAC-2 air defense system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the crews of the Su-34NVO during the performance of strike missions will be minimized, while the depth of impact will increase to 200+ km. In the future, a similar modification of the planning FAB-500T will be able to strike at enemy targets in Kiev and the region, while the boundaries of the descent of bombs from the suspensions will be located over the Bryansk region.