russian propaganda resources claim that in 2024, russia will commence the serial production of the PBK-500U SPBE-K Drel guided cluster aviation bomb by the Bazalt Scientific Production Association. This novel aerial glide bomb was officially unveiled by the Rostec state defense enterprise.
Enemy propagandists claim that this bomb is allegedly "invisible to radars," has a range of up to 50 kilometers, and is equipped with 15 "smart" submunitions that supposedly can autonomously search for a target.
Read more: russia Plans to Equip the Kh-32 Cruise Missiles with Cluster Munitions
The claimed targets that the Drel guided air bomb can strike include tanks and other equipment on the battlefield, command posts, and "energy installations." It is also alleged that such a bomb is resistant to the influence of electronic warfare (EW) means.
From Defense Express, it is essential to highlight a highly specific example of russian guided aviation weaponry. On one hand, it involves a bomb whose testing lasted for as long as 7 years, with the commencement of its production postponed at least twice. On the other hand, according to its declared characteristics, the Drel is as dangerous as RBK-500 cluster bombs, which can also be dropped beyond the reach of Ukrainian air defense systems.
Despite the plans for the serial production of the PBK-500U SPBE-K Drel guided cluster aviation bomb to commence in 2021, the rollout faced some challenges. Following a revised blueprint, the completion of all necessary evaluations was rescheduled for mid-2022. However, it was not until the mid-to-end of 2023 that these assessments were successfully completed.
If russia starts serial production of the Drel, they will have another guided cluster bomb with an extended range of application. And this, overall, will fit into the scenario where russian aviation in 2024 is expected to receive a significant boost in aviation strike assets, including about 10,000 S-8KL guided aviation munitions, which also have cluster warheads.
The PBK-500U SPBE-K Drel is an inertial and GPS/GLONASS-guided cluster glide bomb.
The bomb is equipped with a “friend or foe” identification system which will minimize the danger of a strike against its own forces as well as carrying an electronic countermeasures pack that make it resistant to jamming and radar detection. In its standard configuration, the PBK-500U weighs 540 kilograms and can be released at a maximum altitude of 14 kilometers, which would give it an operating range of 30 to 50 kilometers.
As Defense Express reported earlier, the russian military was planning to equip Kh-32 cruise missiles with cluster munitions for use in Ukraine.
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