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A '''glide bomb''' is a conventional "dumb bomb" or "gravity bomb" with attached wings that make the bomb glide farther from its original aerial drop point.

A '''glide bomb''' is a conventional "dumb bomb" or "gravity bomb" with attached wings that make the bomb glide farther from its original aerial drop point.

During the [[Special Military Operation on the territory of Ukraine]] in 2020s, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation converted thousands of conventional 500kg, 1000kg, and 1500kg gravity bombs from an enormous stockpile built up since the 1960s, with a "glide kit", attaching wings that unfold after being dropped and adding a precision guidance system in a nose kit.<ref>[https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/8831623.html Evolution of UMPK], colonelcassad. December 16, 2023. colonelcassad.livejournal.com</ref> The Russian modified glide bombs have an advantage over [[Western alliance|Western]] [[cruise missile]]s, in that none of its weight is wasted on carrying an expensive engine and fuel, they carry a very large warhead, and are relatively cheap in comparison to Western cruise missiles. They have been called the Russian counterpart of the US JDAM, only much less expensive.<ref>https://westobserver.com/news/europe/russian-glide-bomb-compared-to-american-jdam/</ref>

During the [[Special Military Operation on the territory of Ukraine]] in the 2020s, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation converted thousands of conventional 500kg, 1000kg, and 1500kg gravity bombs from an enormous stockpile built up since the 1960s, with a "glide kit", attaching wings that unfold after being dropped and adding a precision guidance system in a nose kit.<ref>[https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/8831623.html Evolution of UMPK], colonelcassad. December 16, 2023. colonelcassad.livejournal.com</ref> The Russian modified glide bombs have an advantage over [[Western alliance|Western]] [[cruise missile]]s, in that none of its weight is wasted on carrying an expensive engine and fuel, they carry a very large warhead, and are relatively cheap in comparison to Western cruise missiles. They have been called the Russian counterpart of the US JDAM, only much less expensive.<ref>https://westobserver.com/news/europe/russian-glide-bomb-compared-to-american-jdam/</ref>

The arsenal consists of 50 kg FAB-50 to the FAB-500, the FAB-2000, FAB-3000, FAB-5000, and the monstrous FAB-9000, which features a conventional explosive charge of about 4,300 kg of [[TNT]] – about half the blast yield caused by the W54 – the world’s smallest tactical [[nuclear bomb]].

The arsenal consists of 50 kg FAB-50 to the FAB-500, the FAB-2000, FAB-3000, FAB-5000, and the monstrous FAB-9000, which features a conventional explosive charge of about 4,300 kg of [[TNT]] – about half the blast yield caused by the W54 – the world’s smallest tactical [[nuclear bomb]].

Various versions of the Russian glide bomb were used to devastating effect in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]].<ref>[https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/renaissance-of-the-bomb-gliding-fabs Renaissance of the Bomb - Gliding FABs] Russian Glide Bombs - a true menace, MIKE MIHAJLOVIC, MAR 10, 2024. bmanalysis.substack.com</ref>

Various versions of the Russian glide bomb were used to devastating effect in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]].<ref>[https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/renaissance-of-the-bomb-gliding-fabs Renaissance of the Bomb - Gliding FABs] Russian Glide Bombs - a true menace, MIKE MIHAJLOVIC, MAR 10, 2024. bmanalysis.substack.com</ref>

The US made [[Raytheon]] Paveway IV is a converted 1950s Mk82 dumb bomb with an over-engineered, expensive glide kit, 90 kg of explosives and a range of only 30 km, making delivery by an [[F-16]] a suicide mission in the face of Russian [[S-300]] air defense system.

The US made [[Raytheon]] Paveway IV is a converted 1950s Mk82 dumb bomb with an over-engineered, expensive glide kit, 90 kg of explosives and a range of only 30 km, making delivery by an [[F-16]] a suicide mission in the face of a Russian [[S-300]] air defense system.

==References==

==References==