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FAB-500

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FAB-500 M-62 General Purpose (GP) Bomb[1]
FAB-500 M-62, first in foreground
Type High-drag and low-drag general-purpose bomb
Place of origin Soviet Union
Production history
Produced 1954–present (M-54); 1962–present (M-62)
Variants KAB-500
Specifications
Mass 500 kilograms (1,100 lb)
Length 2,470 millimetres (97.2 in)
Diameter 400 millimetres (15.7 in)
Filling weight 300 kilograms (660 lb)
FAB-500 M54 Bomb

FAB-500 M-54 General-purpose bomb (high drag version)

Туполев Ту-22 , Полтава-4 RP2985

up to 18 FAB-500 M-54 general-purpose bombs on two underwing pylons and internal bay of a Tu-22M

The FAB-500 is a Soviet-designed 500-kilogram (1,100 lb) general purpose air-dropped bomb with a high-explosive warhead, primarily used by the Russian Air Force, former Soviet republics and customer countries. The original M-54 model was rolled out in 1954, shaped for internal carriage by heavy bombers, a low-drag M-62 version in 1962 was intended for fighter bomber external hardpoint carriage.[2][3] The bomb is unguided, features a single nose fuse, and is compatible with most models of Soviet aircraft.[4]

Operational history[]

The FAB-500 was largely employed over Afghanistan by Soviet and allied Afghan forces during the 1980s and saw use during the Syrian civil war where it was carried by both Russian and Syrian warplanes.[5][6][7] The M62 variant of the FAB-500 was used by Russian military forces in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[8] On March 13, 2022 three FAB-500 bombs were found in Chernihiv, Ukraine.[9][8]

Operational envelope (FAB-500 M-62)[]

  • Release altitude: 570–12,000 metres (1,870–39,400 ft)
  • Release speed: 500–1,900 kilometres per hour (311–1,180 mph)[10]

Variants[]

  • FAB-500 M-54 (ФАБ-500 М-54) – 1954 model, original high-drag model intended for internal carriage on heavy bombers, featuring a ballistic ring on the nose of the bomb to act as a vortex generator to aid the bomb’s stabilizers.[11][12]
  • FAB-500 M-62 (ФАБ-500 М-62) – 1962 model, low-drag model designed for external carriage on hardpoints on fighter-bombers.[13][14]
  • FAB-500 M-62T – heat-resistant, capable of withstanding high-temperature aerodynamic heating, arising during flight at high speeds. Developed for the MiG-25RB.[14]
  • FAB-500 M-62 MPK (ФАБ-500 М-62 с МПК)
  • FAB-500T (ФАБ-500Т)[15]
  • FAB-500TA (ФАБ-500ТА)
  • FAB-500ShN (ФАБ-500ШН) [13]
  • FAB-500ShL (ФАБ-500ШЛ) [13][16]
  • FAB-500 M46 (ФАБ-500 М46)
  • FAB-500 M44 (ФАБ-500 М44)
  • FAB-500 M43 (ФАБ-500 М43)
  • FAB-500-300 (ФАБ-500-300)
  • FAB-500TS (ФАБ-500ТС)[15][16][17]
  • FAB-500TSM (ФАБ-500ТСМ)
  • FAB-5000NG (ФАБ-5000НГ)
  • OFAB-500 (ОФАБ-500) – high explosive fragmentation bomb[18]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ "FAB-500 M-62 high-explosive bomb". http://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/fab-500-m-62/. 
  2. ↑ https://www.jmu.edu/cisr/_pages/research/afghanistan-oig/01-bomb.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ↑ "Russian Aviation Bombs". https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/bombs.htm. 
  4. ↑ "FAB-500". 2017-07-15. http://www.deagel.com/Defensive-Weapons/FAB-500_a003491001.aspx. 
  5. ↑ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153206738.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ↑ "DFID funded EOD team defuses 500kg aircraft bomb in Herat city". https://www.halotrust.org/latest/halo-updates/news/dfid-funded-eod-team-defuses-500kg-aircraft-bomb-in-herat-city/. 
  7. ↑ "The Su-22 Is Syria's War-Weary Warhorse". 2017-02-15. https://warisboring.com/the-su-22-is-syrias-war-weary-warhorse/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Three FAB-500 aerial bombs found in Chernihiv". 2017-02-15. https://news24online.com/news/world/russia-ukraine-war-three-fab-500-aerial-bombs-found-chernihiv-219eab39/. 
  9. ↑ "In Chernihiv, three unexploded 500kg bombs discovered in residential areas." (in en). https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3428374-in-chernihiv-three-unexploded-500kg-bombs-discovered-in-residential-areas.html. 
  10. ↑ "High-explosive bomb FAB-500 M-62 | Catalog Rosoboronexport". http://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/fab-500-m-62/. 
  11. ↑ Gordon, Yefim (2004). Soviet / Russian aircraft weapons : since World War Two. Hinkley: Midland Publishing. p. 158. ISBN 1857801881. OCLC 56650196. 
  12. ↑ "ФАБ-500М-54". http://aviaros.narod.ru/fab50054.htm. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) - Ammunition Identification Guide - Libya". 2015. https://bulletpicker.com/pdf/Ammunition-Identification-Guide-Lybia.pdf. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "ФАБ-500М-62". http://aviaros.narod.ru/fab50062.htm. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "FAB-250 General purpose Bomb". https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/fab-250.htm. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Авиационное бомбовое вооружение". http://www.militaryparitet.com/nomen/russia/aviabomb/data/ic_nomenrussiaaviabomb/16/. 
  17. ↑ "ФАБ-250ТС/500ТС". http://www.airwar.ru/weapon/ab/fab-250ts.html. 
  18. ↑ "General-purpose HE fragmentation bomb OFAB-500U | Catalog Rosoboronexport". http://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/ofab-500u/. 
Russian and former Soviet aircraft ordnance
Air-to-air missiles
Air-to-ground missiles
Anti-ship and cruise missiles
Anti-tank missiles
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7.62 mm
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