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UMPK (bomb kit)

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UMPK (Russian: УМПК; Унифицированный модуль планирования и коррекции, Unified gliding and correction module) is a guidance kit first developed by the Russian Bazalt Design Bureau for converting unguided Soviet bombs into precision-guided munitions. This kit is an aerial bomb glide range extension kit, similar to the American Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM-ER) and thus it was sometime nicknamed "JDAMski" or "Russian JDAM". The guidance system and gliding function of the UMPK kit can provide ordinary aerial bombs with longer-range and more accurate strike capabilities. They have been widely used by the Russian Air Force during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

UMPK
FAB-250 with an UMPK kit
TypeGlide bomb
Place of originRussian Federation
Service history
In service2023-present
Used byRussian Armed Forces
Wars

History

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A guided glide kit for Soviet/Russian bombs was first proposed by NPO Bazalt in 2003 as a cheap device that can be fitted to bombs to increase range and accuracy. Its prototype was first displayed at the "Aero India 2003" exhibition.[1] The upgrade, back then called MPK, continued being proposed in 2008.[2]

 
FAB-500 bombs with UMPK kits deploying their wings

At the beginning of January 2023, Russian users on social networks shared a photo of the FAB-500 M-62 with an attached kit resembling a JDAM. The "artisan" quality of the kit may have indicated it was a prototype.[3][4][5]

At the end of March 2023, the spokesman of the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Ignat, reported that the Russian military began to use winged modified aerial bombs with a warhead weighing 500 kg (1,100 lb) more often. Russian planes drop them from a distance of tens of kilometers on targets in the front-line zone without entering the Ukrainian air defense range.[6]

In April 2023, an Su-34 accidentally dropped a bomb on the Russian city of Belgorod. Some news outlets quoted Russian milblogger Fighterbomber that the bomb was an UMPK-upgraded one.[7]

The UMPK was first publicly acknowledged by Russian MoD in May 2023.[8][9]

According to a November 2023 investigation by the British NGO Conflict Armament Research, the new UMPK has, among other things, a more complex electronic system including SMART navigation controller and Kometa satellite navigation module.[10]

UMPB D-30SN

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In March 2024, photos of the wreckage of a previosly unseen Russian ordnance with the "UMPB" marking surfaced in Ukraine. Preliminary analysis of the wreckage told that UMPB is a type of air-launched weapon that has a FAB-250 bomb integrated into the guidance-and-glide kit, with inertial and satellite navigation systems, ailerons, and actuators at its aft end, with a jet engine and fuel tank inside the weapon as well. Russian milblogger Fighterbomber identified this weapon as UMPB D-30SN (Russian: УМПБ; Универсальный межвидовой планирующий боеприпас, Versatile intermediate gliding munition). According to the blogger, "intermediate" means its standing between different types of ordnance and the fact it can be launched from various platforms, such as Tornado-S multiple launch rocket systems, as well as from aircraft. No other specifications were mentioned.[11]

In May 2024, a high-quality image of the UMPB D-30SN long-range glide bomb has appeared for the first time. The picture showed a Su-34 releasing four UMBP bombs. The location of the release point allowed to estimate that the attack range of the UMPB could be up to 90 km (56 mi), which is 20 to 30 km (12 to 19 mi) higher than the UMPK.[12]

In October 2024, a piece of an UMPB was found in the wreckage of an S-70 UAV which was shot down by Russians after losing control and entering the Ukrainian airspace, indicating that the UAV was used as a carrier for UMPB bombs.[13]

Ukrainian program

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In June 2024, the Ukrainian Air Force announced a similar program to create an analog of the UMPK bombs. Serhii Golubtsov, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in an interview, that the wings, command module and GPS had to be worked out. In August, the Ukrainian Air Force released footage of a Su-24M testing a similar bomb. This weapon appears to have X shaped control fins and an outlet for a possible rocket booster or a jet engine.[14][15]

Description

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The UMPK aerial bomb glide kit is designed to convert traditional unguided bombs into guided bombs to provide greater strike accuracy. The maximum attack range depends on the altitude and trajectory of the aircraft before being dropped.[16]

The current manufacturer of the module is not officially named. Perhaps there are several companies producing them, as well as several variants of the module itself.[9]

A unit costs 2 million rubles, according to the Fighterbomber Telegram channel,[17] which is equivalent to 24,460 USD[18] and is cheap for such a weapon.[17][18] During its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is unlikely to run out of bombs to which it can be fitted, as it has a very large inventory of unguided aerial bombs.[18] The heavy use of civilian-grade electronics allows kits to be mass produced cheaply but also makes them unreliable compared to western equivalents resulting in bombs falling within Russia, although safeguard systems mean detonations are rare.[19]

 
FAB-3000 with an UMPK kit

There are several variants of the kit:

  • FAB-250 – used at least as early as May 2023.[20]
  • FAB-500 – the first bomb equipped with UMPK, and the most widely used.
  • FAB-1500 – used at least as early as September 2023.[21][22][23] The FAB-1500М54 guided bomb was displayed publicly when Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited the Tactical Missiles Corporation military-industrial complex in the Moscow region in January 2024.[24]
  • FAB-3000 – On 20 June 2024, Russian milblogger FighterBomber published the alleged first usage of a FAB-3000 with UMPK kit in the village of Liptsy, Kharkiv region.[25] The Kyiv Independent also reported on this claim, although they could not verify its veracity.[26] More purported uses of the bomb in the same region took place in the next days with videos appeared online.[27] The Russian Ministry of Defense officially announced the use of the bomb on 14 July 2024 by publishing a video which showed a Su-34 tactical bomber launching it.[28]
  • ODAB-500 – footage in a video published by the Russian Defense Ministry on April 4, 2024, shows a Su-34 frontline bomber launching four ODAB-500 thermobaric bombs equipped with the UMPK guidance kit.[29]
  • ODAB-1500 – used at least as early as February 2024.[30]
  • RBK-500 – the cluster variant used at least as early as November 2023.[31]

Notable uses

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ГНПП "Базальт" предлагает оснастить авиационные бомбы свободного падения специальным модулем планирования и коррекции" [Bazalt proposes to equip free-fall aerial bombs with a special planning and correction module]. aviaport.ru (in Russian). 2003-02-12. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  2. ^ "ГНПП "Базальт" предлагает доукомплектовать все ранее разработанные авиабомбы модулями планирования и коррекции" [Bazalt proposes to complete all previously developed aerial bombs with planning and correction modules]. vpk.name (in Russian). 2008-03-21. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  3. ^ Fighterbomber (5 January 2023). "Кто там хотел православный JDAM?" [Who out there wanted an honest-to-God JDAM?]. Telegram. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  4. ^ "Російський аналог JDAM: звідки взявся, наскільки реальний та як у РФ тим самим розписались у безпорадності "Гефеста"" [The Russian analogue of JDAM: where did it come from, how real is it, …]. defence-ua.com (in Ukrainian). 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  5. ^ "У Росії тестують модуль планування і корекції авіабомб ФАБ-500" [Russia is testing the FAB-500 bomb planning and correction module]. mil.in.ua (in Ukrainian). 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  6. ^ "Ігнат розповів про нову загрозу: авіація рф щодня скидає десятки бомб у прифронтовій зоні" [Ignat on a new threat: Russian aviation drops dozens of bombs daily on the frontline]. ukrinform.ua (in Ukrainian). 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  7. ^ "У российской авиации, вероятно, появилась технология, способная вернуть ей превосходство в воздухе над ВСУ. Но только теоретически В реальности эта технология могла привести к падению двух российских авиабомб на Белгород" [Russian aviation may have acquired technology that could restore its air superiority over UAF. But only theoretically. In reality, this technology could be the cause of two Russian bombs dropped on Belgorod]. Meduza (in Russian). 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  8. ^ "Заявление начальника пресс-центра группировки «Запад»" [Statement by the head of the press centre of the "West" group]. Telegram. 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  9. ^ a b "УМПК: универсальный модуль для авиабомб" [UMPK: universal module for aerial bombs]. vz.ru (in Russian). 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  10. ^ "Russia develops guidance modules for air-dropped munitions". Conflict Armament Research. 2024-01-18.
  11. ^ "UMPB Extended-Range Bomb Created in Russia, Deployed by Aircraft or Tornado-S Ground Launchers". en.defence-ua.com. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  12. ^ "Operating Range of Russia's New UMPB D-30 Glide Bomb Revealed". en.defence-ua.com. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  13. ^ "БПЛА С-70 "Охотник" це все ж таки "бомбовіз" КАБів: яка реальна загроза та ідея ворога" [S-70 "Okhotnik" UAV is a GBU "bomb carrier" after all: what is the real threat and the enemy's idea]. defence-ua.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  14. ^ INDER SINGH BISHT (2024-06-17). "Ukraine to Test Home-Grown Glide Bomb". The Defense Post.
  15. ^ "Su-24M with Ukrainian glide bomb spotted during tests". mil.in.ua. 2024-09-06.
  16. ^ "Russia is winging its dumb bombs just before a combat flight". BulgarianMilitary.com. 2023-07-25. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  17. ^ a b "It became known about the almost daily use of Russian planning bombs UMPK". en.topcor.ru Репортёр [Reporter]. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  18. ^ a b c "Just How Dumb Are Russia's Winged Smart Bombs?". Popular Mechanics. 2023-04-24. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  19. ^ Ilyushina, Mary; Khurshudyan, Isabelle (1 July 2024). "Russia's devastating glide bombs keep falling on its own territory". Washington Post. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Доработка авиабомб ФАБ-250 позволила сделать из них высокоточные боеприпасы" [Refinement of FAB-250 bombs made it possible to turn them into precision munitions]. TASS (in Russian). 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
  21. ^ a b "FAB-1500 strike on AFU formation under Antonivskyi bridge caught on video" Удар ФАБ-1500 по скоплению ВСУ под Антоновским мостом попал на видео (in Russian). Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  22. ^ "Newsweek: "Smart" FAB-1500 bomb will increase pressure on Ukraine's air defense" Newsweek: "Умная" авиабомба ФАБ-1500 усилит давление на ПВО Украины (in Russian). Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  23. ^ Axe, David (2023-09-07). "Russia's Got A Giant New Glide-Bomb". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  24. ^ "Минобороны России впервые показало полуторатонную авиабомбу с УМПК" [The Russian Ministry of Defense for the first time showed a 1½-ton bomb with the UMPK]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  25. ^ "Сегодня в н.п. Липцы Харьковской области состоялся бенефис ФАБ-3000 М-54 с УМПК". FighterBomber Telegram. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  26. ^ "Russian forces claim to have deployed FAB-3000 glide bomb for first time". The Kyiv Independent. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  27. ^ "105.000 κιλά βομβών FAB-3000 χτύπησαν ουκρανικούς στόχους στο Χάρκοβο! – Η μυρωδιά των καμμένων έφτασε μέχρι το Κίεβο". Pronews.gr (in Greek). 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  28. ^ "Ukraine conflict: Russia flaunts glide-adapted version of FAB-3000 high-yield bomb". Jane's.com. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  29. ^ "Russian Su-34 Bomber Targets Ukrainian Positions with New Guided ODAB-500 Thermobaric Bombs". armyrecognition.com. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  30. ^ "Was the ODAB-1500 Aviation Bomb Used by the Enemy for the First Time: What Is Its Main Danger?". en.defence-ua.com. 2024-03-30. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  31. ^ Newdick, Thomas (2023-11-20). "Russian Glide Bomb Kits Now Adapted For Cluster Munitions: Reports". The War Zone. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  32. ^ Axe, David (2023-08-27). "What Are Ukrainian Troops Most Afraid Of? Russia's Cheap, Powerful Glide-Bombs". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
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