Soviet Union and Russian Federation developed a range of aerial bombs for use on its aircraft.
The name of the bomb consists of the type of bomb (FAB-250M-46), its caliber in kilograms (FAB-250M-46), model by year of adoption (FAB-250M-46 - model 1946) and additionally (not always) an indication of its mass - if it differs significantly from the caliber (OFAB-250-270, FAB-1500-2600TS) and/or the design feature of the bomb or its production technology (FAB-500T - heat-resistant (термостойкая; termostoykaya), FAB-1500-2600TS - thick-walled (толстостенная; tolstostennaya), FAB-100sch - steel cast iron (сталистый чугун; stalistyy chugun), FAB-1000sl - steel casting (стальное литьё; stal'noye lit'yo), or for commercial purposes (KAB-500S-E - export).
"AB" (АБ) in FAB stands for "aerial bomb" (авиационная бомба)
High-explosive aerial bombs (FAB) are aerial bombs whose main destructive effect is the effect of an explosion. They have the most powerful and versatile lethal effect among main-purpose aerial bombs. The mass of the explosive in the bomb is approximately 50% of its weight, and the bomb also has a relatively strong body for penetration into the ground or into obstacles such as the floors of buildings and structures.[1]
Main destructive forces:
Primary targets:
Modern general-purpose FABs weigh 250 kg or more. They can have several forms:[1]
OFAB - a high-explosive fragmentation bomb is a regular high-explosive bomb, but with a lower explosive filling of about 30-35%, and special means of organized crushing of the body, such as a sawtooth inner side of the body or a system of longitudinal and transverse grooves (although on outdated models they might not have been installed).[1]
BetAB - a concrete-piercing aerial bomb. Designed for effective destruction of reinforced concrete shelters and runways. Structurally, they are divided into two types:
PLAB - anti-submarine bomb. Designed to destroy submarines. May have different designs. Large-caliber bombs usually have a non-contact (hydroacoustic, barometric, remote, or more often combined) fuse, and hit the target with a high-explosive effect (hydrodynamic shock) at a distance. A low-power nuclear charge is well suited for them (as an example, the domestic PLAB 5F48 “Skalp”).
Small-caliber bombs are usually used as part of cassettes and have a contact fuse and a shaped charge bomb design.[1]
ZAB - incendiary aerial bomb. Designed to destroy manpower and military equipment with fire. The mass of incendiary bombs does not exceed 500 kg. Structurally, incendiary bombs are divided into 2 types:
ODAB - volume detonating bomb. Provides greater effect against manpower and vulnerable equipment (including in open shelters) than FAB. When encountering an obstacle, the dispersing charge is activated, the body is destroyed, the fuel splits and scatters. The fuel evaporates and, mixing with air, forms a cloud of air-fuel mixture. After the time required for the formation of a cloud of sufficient size, the secondary detonating explosive charge ignites the air-fuel mixture.[1]
RBK - disposable bomb clusters. They are thin-walled aerial bombs, designed for the use of small-caliber aerial bombs (up to 20 kg). The name consists of an abbreviation and type of equipment. Some RBKs are equipped with a removable fairing, which allows the RBC to be effectively installed on aircraft with both an external sling and an internal weapons bay. Based on the method of dispersing combat elements, RBKs are divided into two types:
KMGU - Unified Container for Small-sized Load. Designed for transportation and release of BKF (container front-line units) with submunitions. During combat use, the KMGU itself is located on the aircraft’s weapons suspension unit and is not dropped (although in an emergency it can be forcibly dropped). Structurally, the KMGU is a streamlined body with controlled flaps, compartments for suspending the BKF and automation that allows you to adjust the block release interval.[3][7]
Relatively small caliber bombs are used as submunitions (bomblets) of cluster bombs. Due to the specifics of their use, in addition to the types of bombs described above, there are also specialized bombs, currently used mainly only in cluster bombs and KMGU.
OAB (АО, ShOAB) - an aerial fragmentation bomb (aviation fragmentation bomb, ball fragmentation aerial bomb). Air bombs whose main effect is fragments of the hull. The caliber of the bombs ranges from 0.5 to 50 kg. They are designed to destroy manpower, non- and lightly armored vehicles. Old aerial bombs have a cylindrical body with a rigid stabilizer that provides irregular crushing; modern bombs have a spherical or hemispherical design, a folding stabilizer, aerodynamic devices, notches for organized crushing of the body, or ready-made striking elements.
PTAB - an anti-tank aerial bomb. Designed to destroy armored objects. The destructive effect is a jet formed by a shaped charge inside the bomb body. Also, when detonated, the bomb body produces fragments that can hit manpower and unarmored vehicles. For the cumulative jet to be effective, the explosion must occur at a distance called the focal distance. Older bombs have a contact head or bottom fuse. Modern bombs have a built-in fuse with a target sensor.[1]
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Attribution: translated from the Russian ru:Авиационные бомбы (Россия) in May 2024