Russian aircraft "loses" bomb once again, further dampening its Ukraine offensive
The discovered unexploded ordnance is a Russian OFAB-250 bomb equipped with a UMPK kit, enabling the missile to glide and self-correct its flight. The same scenario happened in Belgorod itself, adding to the list of similar incidents. In April 2023, another bomb, also fitted with a UMPK kit, was "lost" by an Su-34 flying over the city. In certain circumstances, Belgorod serves as a strategic location for tactical bombers to launch gliding bombs against targets near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
11:25 AM EST, January 4, 2024
Unexploded bomb detected
The bomb did not detonate this time, avoiding significant damage. Nonetheless, the presence of faulty bombs falling near a Russian city is an unwelcome piece of news for its residents. The discovered OFAB-250 had "Operable 18.12.23" handwritten on its control module, which might indicate when the bomb was made. Likely, the bomb was mistakenly released from the aircraft, causing a malfunction and its subsequent fall.
The OFAB-250 is a fragmentation demolition bomb originally constructed during the USSR era. It weighs a total of 587 pounds, with 214 pounds being explosive material. Its standard method of operation is freefall, but the UMPK kit allows it to glide and enhance its range.
Possible cause of failure
Previous observations suggest that the premature drops of Russian bombs might be due to the Su-34 bombing fighters' inability to carry heavy bombs — so far, incidents have involved payloads weighing approximately 1,102 pounds. However, this latest incident implicated a much lighter bomb, which should have been compatible with the Su-34's hardpoint.
The issue might lie with the fitted UMPK set, which activates once the bomb is released from the "hardpoint." Wings are then deployed, and the set directs the bomb to the target coordinates using the mounted inertial system, correcting any errors with a GPS satellite signal. Thus, the fall of the OFAB-250 could have been due to a malfunction of the glide correction system itself.
