RBK-250-275 and RBK-500 CLUSTER BOMBS: Type Development [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

RBK-250-275 and RBK-500 CLUSTER BOMBS Type Multipurpose cluster bombs. Development The former Soviet Union was a pioneer of cluster bomb dispensers, quite sophisticated designs being used as early as the 1930s. The RBK family of cluster bombs is of post-Second World War design, and in its earlier days was primarily used for delivering large numbers of anti-personnel fragmentation submunitions. However, in more recent years they have been adapted to carry various other types of submunitions, such as anti-material, airfield cratering and various types of anti-tank submunitions. The designation letters RBK stand for razovaya bombovaya kasseta meaning `singleuse bomb cassette'. The designation numbers refer to the bomb size category. Additional numbers indicate the actual weight in kilogrammes, and any further letters signify special applications or types of submunitions/bomblets used. It is believed that the RBK-250-275 was originally designed to carry fragmentation bomblets designated AO-2.5. However, later versions carried 150 AO-1 SCh fragmentation bomblets, or 30 PTAB-2.5 anti-armour bomblets. The designation letters AO stand for aviatsionnaya oskolochnaya meaning `aircraft fragmentation', PTAB stands for protivo-tankovaya aviatsionnaya bomba meaning `anti-tank aircraft bomb'. Further development produced a larger version, the RBK-500 designed to carry more of the same submunitions. Details were released in the early 1990s of further improved versions of the RBK-500 cluster bomb, developed along with new submunitions for them. These were: RBK-500 AO-2.5 RTM an anti-personnel/anti-material cluster bomb, RBK-500 BETAB airfield cratering cluster bomb, RBK-500 PTAB-1M anti-tank cluster bomb, RBK-500 SPBE anti-tank cluster bomb, and the RBK-500 SPBE-D anti-tank cluster bomb. Although these were basically the same bombs, they are specialised in their applications and are covered by other entries within this Russian Federation section. The complete cluster bombs are designed to withstand the high g forces encountered by combat manoeuvres of high-speed attack aircraft, and are fitted with standard Russian spaced suspension lugs. The RBK-250-275 and RBK-500 cluster bombs are believed to have been cleared for carriage on MiG-21 `Fishbed', MiG-27 `Flogger', MiG-29 `Fulcrum', Su-17 and Su-22 `Fitter', Su-24 `Fencer', Su-25 `Frogfoot' and Su-27 `Flanker' aircraft of the Russian and allied air forces. Description The RBK-250-275 and the RBK-500 have similar canister shaped bodies, with a conical nose and are fitted with standard Russian 250 mm spaced suspension lugs. The RBK-250-275 has a four-fin drum tail unit similar to that used on many Russian conventional bombs. It is 2.12 m long, has a body diameter of 325 mm and a loaded weight of between 250 and 275 kg depending on the submunitions carried. The RBK-500 has an eight-fin tail unit, is 2.5 m long, has a body diameter of 450 mm and weighs around 500 kg. There are four known submunitions/bomblets that have been credited to these particular cluster