The serial production of Russia’s new glide cluster bomb, Drel, is expected to commence before the year’s end. In light of this, it’s important to understand the characteristics of the Drel and assess whether it will be utilized in Russia’s ongoing special military operation. In Ukraine or in future elsewhere.
Rostec, Russia’s leading weapons manufacturer and a state-owned corporation, has announced that the Drel (Drill) bomb has successfully completed all the tests required by the customer. The company also stated that details regarding the bomb’s potential use in the Russian special military operation are kept secret.
In simple terms, a glide bomb, also called a stand-off bomb, is designed with special controls that let it glide smoothly through the air, making its flight path longer and flatter compared to regular bombs. A cluster bomb is a kind of bomb that can be dropped from the air or launched from the ground. It opens up in the air to scatter many smaller bombs over a wide area.
“Flatter,” in this context, means having a more level or horizontal flight path. Unlike regular bombs that drop steeply after being released, a glide bomb with a flatter trajectory travels a longer distance horizontally before reaching the ground. This makes its flight path more elongated and less steep.
Based on open source , the Drel bomb measures 3.1 meters (122 inches) in length and weighs 540 kilograms (1,190 pounds).
The design of the Drel bomb enables a fighter plane to release it without having to fly into the area protected by the enemy’s air defenses. This bomb is likely to be used with the Su-57, a fifth-generation fighter jet, and the Su-34, a versatile fighter-bomber.
The Drel bomb works on a “fire and forget” concept, meaning it can be launched and then it operates on its own. It has 15 smaller bombs inside and is made to hit a range of ground targets like tanks, artillery, air defenses, radar sites, and command centres. It finds its way using Russia’s GLONASS satellite system and other guiding tools. GLONASS is Russia’s global navigation satellite system, similar to the U.S. GPS, providing accurate location and timing information worldwide.
Developers of the bomb assert that its design and technology greatly reduce the chances of it being picked up by enemy radar systems.
Alexander Kochkin, the executive director of Tekhmash, explained to Sputnik using simple terms that the Drel bomb can fly on its own to cover the necessary distance and strike targets at the correct time.
He also stressed that if any part of this bomb doesn’t find a target, it will safely destroy itself soon after. This ensures it won’t be a threat to local people once hostilities have ceased.
The planned mass production of the Drel bomb will contribute to Russia’s growing collection of precise glide bombs. This collection already features models like the UPAB-1500, UPAB-500B, and KAB-250LG, along with the FAB-250, FAB-500, and FAB-1500. These munitions or weapons are currently being used by the Russian army in their special operation.
The UPAB-1500B, weighing 1,525 kilograms (3,362 pounds), is engineered to destroy heavily fortified ground targets, including command centres. Meanwhile, the 390 kilogram (859 pound) PAB-500B is specialized in annihilating stationary ground and maritime targets such as bridges, military-industrial complexes, warships, and transport ships. This information comes from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporting agency.
The highest heights from which the UPAB-1500Bs and the PAB-500B bombs can be dropped are 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) and 14 kilometres (8.6 miles), respectively.
The KAB-250LG, weighing 256 kg (564 pounds) and having a laser guidance system, can destroy targets like railway hubs, military factories, ships, storage buildings, and airport facilities from up to 10 km (6.2 miles) high.
Last year, the advanced FAB-1500M, a high-explosive glide bomb, was added to the Russian army’s arsenal. This highly accurate bomb weighs 1,500 kg (3,300 pounds) and comes with a special gliding and correction system. It’s usually used with Su-34 fighter-bombers. Forbes magazine even talked about this big bomb in one of their articles.
The media outlet reported that, in contrast, Ukraine’s glide bombs, which are the American-made Joint Direct Attack Munitions-Extended Range, have a weight of only 500 pounds (226 kg).
Russian experts have said that using these bombs, especially the FAB-1500M, with UMPC modules helps Russian forces destroy enemy positions very effectively in the special operation area. They think these bombs are really good at damaging important Ukrainian military buildings near the front line. Additionally, these experts highlighted that it’s difficult for anti-aircraft systems to stop these types of munitions. The UMPC module is a guidance system that enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of bombs in hitting their targets.
The New York Times, quoting anonymous Ukrainian soldiers, reported that since March, they’ve faced the extra powerful impact of Russian glide bombs. These bombs, which weigh half a ton and are dropped from planes, are strong enough to break through underground shelters.
The soldier, known only as “the Kit,” described how they received the glide bombs in pairs, totalling eight in an hour. He likened the noise to that of a jet swooping down, similar to the sound of “hell’s gate” opening. (IPA Service)
(The author is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru.)
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