Russia's FAB‑3000 bomb: A new era of aerial firepower unfolds
6:06 AM EDT, March 23, 2024
With a weight of three tons and capable of creating a crater approximately 49 feet across, the FAB-3000, Russia's latest aerial bomb, boasts a blast radius that can affect areas several hundred meters away. The Ukrainian military service Defence Express has highlighted its formidable destructive capabilities as it is set to enter mass production, a development presented to Sergei Shoigu.
This week, the FAB-3000 was demonstrated to the Russian Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu. Weighing around 6756 pounds with a warhead of about 2646 pounds, Defence Express analysts suggest that its detonation could carve out a crater close to 49 feet deep, inflicting considerable damage over a wide area.
Including a Universal Planning and Correction Module (UMPC) in the FAB-3000 remains uncertain. Such a system would enable the bomb to be released from up to 43 miles away, enhancing its precision. This upgrade has already been applied to other bombs in this series - the FAB250, FAB-500, and FAB-1500 - which are currently causing significant destruction to Ukrainian forces.
"Given that Russia has successfully equipped larger bombs with UMPC kits, it's reasonable to expect they could do the same with the FAB-3000. It would likely just involve scaling up an existing, tested design, which means there could be minimal delay in testing, improvement, and commencement of mass production," Defence Express experts suggest.
Which aircraft are capable of deploying the FAB-3000?
The Tu-22M3 is presently the only aircraft within the Russian air forces that can deploy the FAB-3000.
"Though there might be attempts to outfit the Su-34, a frontline bomber already equipped with the FAB-1500 and UMPC, with the FAB-3000, the Su-34's design does not support carrying such heavy ordinance. It represents a significant challenge," state experts from the Ukrainian service expressed skepticism about the feasibility of the Su-34 carrying the FAB-3000 equipped with UMPC.
Addressing several technical hurdles is necessary. However, it appears likely that Russia is confident in overcoming these challenges, making deploying this weapon a highly probable and profoundly worrisome possibility,” they cautioned.
Plans are underway for the FAB-3000's mass production since February
Reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense highlighted Sergei Shoigu's visit to defense industry facilities in the Nizhny Novgorod region on Thursday.
The Russian defense ministry revealed, "During his visit, Sergei Shoigu learned that mass production of the FAB-3000 had been initiated at the facility starting in February of this year."
Source: Unian/Defence Express
