War in Ukraine
FAB 3000 – Russia builds an even more powerful bomb to destroy Kiev’s positions
The FAB 3000 were installed in the factory
© Telegram
Russia is apparently ramping up bomb production. At three tons, the FAB 3000 is as heavy as a delivery truck and twice as deadly as the FAB 1500, which is already causing serious harm to Ukrainian soldiers.
Putin’s most powerful weapon is his glide bombs. They fly about 70 kilometers to their target, hit precisely and then destroy bunkers, trenches and shelters. Since the fall of Bakhmut, the Russians have been using this weapon, to which there is currently no resistance. Until recently they used Bombs weighing 500 kilograms (free-fall bomb FAB 500), which have approximately the explosive power of a cruise missile. A few weeks ago, 1.5-ton bombs appeared – the FAB 1500. Now a video has been published that showed Armaments Minister Shoigu in a bomb factory near Nizhny Novgorod. He announced an increase in the production of the FAB 500 and FAB 1500 bombs, as well as the start of mass production of the FAB 3000 bombs. Production of the FAB 1500 is said to have doubled.
Russia’s new bombs: pointless without a guideline
The production of the Fab 3000 can only mean that the Russians have developed a gliding device for such a heavy bomb and that it will soon be used against the Ukrainian positions. Actually, only the TU-162 bomber is intended to use the bomb; other aircraft could also carry it if they were equipped with the appropriate suspension.
The effect of these weapons is fatal; they systematically destroy the Ukrainian position system. The Russian positions held firm against the Ukrainian offensive. Also because the Ukrainians had no weapons to destroy the heavily fortified dugouts and bunkers. 155 millimeter artillery can destroy improvised positions, but not installations built by engineers.
Cruel effect
Pushed back by the Russians, the Ukrainians are now seeing their positions become death traps. The universal sliding set is not very precise, there is a deviation of a few meters. The heavy bombs compensate for this inaccuracy with their explosive power. A bomb of the force of FAB 3000 was called a “blockbuster” in World War II because it had the potential to destroy an entire city block.
The FAB 1500 and FAB 3000 are simple universal weapons. They are not special bombs that can only be used against bunkers or area targets. Half of the weight comes from the explosives, the rest from the casing. The unspecific nature of their construction is made up for by their sheer force. The advantage of this is that the bomb can be made very easily. They have been built since the Second World War. In order to build the rough equipment again, it should be enough to get the old production facilities up and running again.
Simple but powerful
The video with the minister reveals little about the production. For the clip, a mixture of different weapons was set up in a hall and a few workers simulated checking maneuvers. In principle, it is conceivable that Russia could equip other, more effective, but also more expensive bombs with sliding charges – such as thermobaric explosives, which produce around seven times the explosive power in TNT equivalent from their weight.
FAB 1500 and FAB 3000 have a large kill radius. For the three-ton bomb it is 45 meters for armored vehicles; the deadly fragment radius is 260 meters. In the built-up area, buildings collapse, burying the defenders. An impact leaves a huge footprint, destroying all Ukrainian fortifications and killing the soldiers.
Hole in the front
These bombs destroy the morale of the enemy troops. Videos are circulating online in which Ukrainian fighters watch two FAB 1500s crash into their comrades’ trenches and everything is engulfed in a ball of fire. Every day the Russians destroy a few positions in the contested villages. The survivors may wonder when a bomb will hit their trench.
The FAB 1500 and 3000 are both explosive bombs and not air mines, but they still produce a long-range blast wave that can cause serious internal damage. Here too, videos show the consequences. Soldiers who survived the impact because they were further away stagger around helpless and dazed because of the bruises on their brains. When they deem it necessary, the Russians fire over a hundred bombs a day, creating a hole in the Ukrainian front with each impact.
Waiting for the F-16
Kiev has not yet been able to defend itself against this threat. Before the bomb is released, the carrier jets must gain altitude. But only the Patriot air defense system has the necessary range to fight the bombers. But to do this, the system must be withdrawn from the cities and installed near the front, where it can be detected by Russian drones. In addition to the Patriot, Kiev’s hopes are pinned on the arrival of the F-16. This fighter is designed to take on Putin’s modern jets. The F-16 is not the best fighter aircraft in the United States, so it is doubtful whether it will actually achieve air supremacy over Ukraine. Compared to the Soviet machines, the F-16 is a diva with high demands when it comes to runway and maintenance. In addition, the F-16 will only arrive in small numbers. Over 40 aircraft have been promised, the first six will arrive in July – and will then challenge the Russian Air Force.