Military Watch: 

Russian Air Force Receives New Precision Guided Glide Bombs with Further Extended Range

Eastern Europe and Central Asia , Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft

Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff

September-5th-2024

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New Glide Bombs Seen Under Wing of Su-34

The Russian Air Force has received a new class of precision guided glide bomb with a significantly extended range, according to local media reports. Designated the UMPB D-30SN, the winged bomb was photographed under the wings of a Su-34 strike fighter, which is the most widely used fighter class in the Russian Air Force and has been responsible for the bulk of glide bombing missions. 

With other fighters such as the Su-30SM and Su-35 having also been deployed for glide bombing missions, despite having lower weapons payloads and shorter ranges, there is a high possibility that they will also receive the new class of glide bomb. 

While previous glide bombs from the widely used FAB-500 series had ranges estimated at 50-60 kilometres, the D-30SN is estimated to have a 78-85 kilometre range - an increase of approximately 45-50 percent. This has the potential to allow Russian fighters to intensify strikes by flying shorter sorties, and to engage well defended targets from safer distances. 

While traditional non-gliding gravity bombs leave aircraft vulnerable to air defences, including handheld air to surface weapons, air launched missiles are not only several times more costly, but also seriously limit the magnitude of the explosive payloads that each aircraft can deliver per sortie as large portions of their weights are taken up by fuel and propulsion systems. 

Glide bombs have thus increasingly become a favoured weapon that maximises the ordinance the fighter fleet can deliver while minimising risk to the aircraft. Notable features on the new glide bomb include the integration of cruciform tail fins and a foldable main wing, the latter which lies flush with the bomb’s body. 

Alongside the new bomb, a new 3000 kilogram glide bomb, the FAB-3000M54 is also close to completing testing, which will provide more options for very high ordnance strikes on enemy targets.