KP.ru military observer Viktor Baranets told what is known about the planning bomb
The American magazine The National Interest is choking on the new Russian ammunition: “ The Drill glide bomb could become the new Russian superweapon. It is ideal when used against a moving enemy. ” And what exactly did the new product of our designers evoke such generous compliments from American military specialists?
The Drill is a GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System – WB) cluster planning bomb. Its weight is over 500 kilograms. The radius of action (the distance from the point of dropping from the aircraft to the target) is from 30 to 50 kilometers. In its belly, the bomb carries 15 homing combat elements. They will never “by mistake” fall on the head of their troops: “Drill” is equipped with a “friend or foe” identification system.
Another “feature” of the ammunition is the electronic countermeasures system built into it. It prevents the enemy from aiming at her, jamming his signal (that’s why she is called inconspicuous). By the way, recently Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov (he oversees the military-industrial complex in the government) said: “The Russian army will receive a new planning aerial bomb” Drill “in 2021. The test results have confirmed its combat effectiveness.”
What else is known about this superweapon?
MILITARY DOSSIER “KP”
In professional language, “Drill” is called tricky – PBK-500U with SPBE-K. This abbreviation is deciphered as follows – a universal gliding cluster bomb weighing 500 kg. Further – with self-aiming combat elements, adjustable. It is designed to destroy stationary objects (launchers, radar stations, weapons depots, command posts, engineering structures) and clusters of enemy armored vehicles.
The bomb is capable of “working” around the clock in all weather conditions. It is used without the aircraft entering the enemy air defense zone. Strikes the target with high accuracy. The length of the “Drill” is 3 meters. Diameter – 450 centimeters. The maximum bombing height is 14 kilometers, the minimum is 100 meters. If the GLONASS signal is jammed, the Drill can use laser and television guidance. Also, the bomb implements the “release – forget” principle, which relieves the operator (navigator) of the need to accompany the target until it is hit.
For comparison: the deviation of a similar American ammunition from the target is 10-15 meters. The “Drill” – from three to five meters. The cost of a US bomb is $ 100,000. Ours is five times cheaper. This is why US experts say their Air Force glide bombs are “gold”.
OPINION OF THE SPECIALIST
Dmitry KORNEV, Doctor of Technical Sciences, ammunition designer:
- The appearance of the “Drill” in the Air Force of the Russian Army is an impressive breakthrough, which will allow solving not only the problem of reducing the cost of high-precision ammunition, but also significantly enhance the combat potential of aviation. With a high degree of probability, we can assume that the technologies implemented in “Drill” will develop. And in the future, Russia will have bombs capable of moving away from the carrier at a much greater distance. “Drill” will allow very serious savings on weapons and at the same time – significantly increase their effectiveness.