Moscow has upgraded an old Soviet-era glide bomb into a lethal new weapon that can cause a crater about 15 meters wide (nearly 15 feet), according to CNN. The bomb is Moscow’s FAB-1500 and is a powerful new tool in the Russian arsenal.
Joseph Trevitnick of The War Zone wrote in January that the bombs offer «a new and more destructive deadlock attack option for many of Russia’s tactical fighters, allowing pilots to be farther away from enemy defenses.»
Upgrade kits and weapon modifications have added deployable wings that allow the bomb to slowly glide toward its marked targets, according to Newsweek. But with the upgrade kits, a powerful guidance system has also been added.
The FAB-1500 weighs 1.5 tons and half of the bomb is made up of powerful explosives, but that is not what makes it a highly dangerous weapon. The glide bomb is launched through the air, making it very difficult to be knocked down.
The new slip bomb is just one example of how Moscow has chosen to continue its fight in Ukraine, inflicting what CNN says is «massive damage,» as a preliminary step, before sending in its troops to try to capture more Ukrainian territory.
Newsweek reported that what really makes the FAB-1500 upgrade so concerning is its accuracy. One expert told the news agency that the bomb «was having a significant impact» on Ukraine’s defense in Donetsk.
The devastation that Russia’s enhanced glide bombs can cause has been observed as early as Moscow began using them in March. Different videos have been circulating on social networks demonstrating the immense destructive power of these weapons.
CNN reported that FAB-1500 glide bombs had been used to hit targets such as thermal power plants, factories and apartment blocks in areas where the news outlet said Ukraine’s defense was coordinated.
«The current version [of the bombs] has an accuracy that has improved by 10 meters, which basically guarantees destruction due to the sheer size of the FAB-1500,» military expert David Hambling told Newsweek.
«These weapons also have a significant impact on morale, and the tremendous explosions can be seen and heard over a very large area,» Hambling added. The weapon is having a strong impact on the morale of Ukrainian soldiers.
A soldier from Ukraine’s 46th Separate Air Brigade told CNN that the damage the FAB-1500s were causing was «very real,» adding, «If you survive, you’ll probably have some bruises.»
«It increases the pressure on the morale of the soldiers. Not everyone can stand it. Although they are already more or less accustomed to the FAB-1500, these bombs are hell,» the soldier explained about the Russian weapons.
How the use of these new weapons will change the front line is still unknown, but what is certain is that Russia’s new upgraded bomb could have a significant impact as Ukraine enters one of the most dangerous stages of the conflict to date.