Exposing the myths of Russia's 'city destroyer': The reality of FAB‑1500 bombs
False information about the first Russian attack using the powerful FAB-1500 bomb appeared online. We explain the capabilities of this weapon, which has unofficially earned the nickname "city destroyer".
As reported by the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, the first use by Russians of this powerful bomb on the front line was reported as an attack on soldiers stationed near the town of Velika Psarivka. In reality, the attackers had used this rare weapon earlier.
Already on 17 February 2024, the Russians had dropped bombs of this type on Ukrainian soldiers defending Chasiv Yar, with the first photos of the FAB-1500 with the UMPK module surfacing in mid-January 2024.
FAB-1500 bombs - a rare and powerful weapon
The FAB-1500 bombs are World War II designs with a potent destructive force; nearly 700 kg (about 1543 pounds) out of their 1,500 kg (about 3307 pounds) weight are made up of TNT. For comparison, a standard 155 mm artillery shell contains up to 10 kg (about 22 pounds) of TNT. Essentially, no field fortification can survive the explosion of such a powerful bomb, which, due to its weight, penetrates deep into the ground.
The FAB-1500 is capable of destroying vast areas - the explosion creates not only a large fireball but also a shockwave with incredibly high pressure. However, these bombs are free-falling, meaning the aircraft must fly directly over the target, putting it at risk of being taken down by short-range air defence systems.
Recently, the Russians have begun outfitting these bombs with UMPK conversion kits (Unified Module Set for Planning and Correction) which mimic the American JDAM-ER. Thanks to this update, the old FAB-1500 has been transformed into a gliding precision weapon.
The idea is to attach to the bomb a module containing an inertial and satellite navigation system along with foldable wings and control surfaces. As a result, a bomb is created that can hit a target with about 10 metres accuracy from a distance of even 70 km.
Moreover, after being dropped from a great height, FAB-1500s reach very high speeds, and their thick steel casing makes them quite resistant to the typical anti-aircraft weapons with fragmentation warheads. In practice, the best method is to counter the aircraft carrying these bombs before they are released. Medium-range systems like the Patriot or SAMP/T, which Ukraine possesses more of, and the S-300, for which the missiles have already run out, are suitable for this.
Due to the absence of these systems in the region, the Russians successfully captured Avdiivka. Before the assault, Putin's soldiers bombed the positions of Ukrainian defenders.
