Russia’s UMPK steerage kits put in on the FAB-series drop bombs now have a brand new jet powered variant, which may reportedly lengthen the vary as much as 200 km.
Russia is now utilizing a more recent, jet-powered model of its UMPK (Common Module for Planning and Correction/Unifitsirovannyi Modul Planirovaniya i Korrektsii) kits for the FAB-series of unguided gravity bombs. The stays of 1 close to intact instance of such bomb, which can have did not detonate, have been discovered on Oct. 20, 2025, within the Poltava Oblast in northeast Ukraine, based on deputy director of the Basis for Protection of Democracies’ Russia Program John Hardie.
Main Kremlin-aligned and politically hardline Telegram channel ‘Fighter-Bomber’, with ties to many Russian frontline items, recognized the precise glide equipment configuration because the UMPK-PD, and the bomb because the FAB-500T. Different accounts recognized it because the UMPB-5R. ‘AviaHub’, one other Russian Telegram account, places this specific equipment’s vary with the FAB-500T at 100 km, and the jet-powered model’s vary at 200 km.
Earlier pictures evaluating the evolution of the design of the UMPK kits, in addition to the most recent picture, additionally present the inscription ‘FAB-500T’ in Cyrillic/Russian on the bomb’s physique. This places the general weapon in the identical class because the P-JDAM (Powered-Joint Direct Assault Munition).
UMPK-kitted FAB-250, FAB-500, FAB-500, FAB-1500 bombs, dropped by the Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber in battlefield interdiction roles, have been used on Ukrainian floor positions since 2023 with devastating impression.
Улучшенная российская авиабомба ФАБ-500Т с УМПК, летит 100+ км, а такая же, только с реактивным двигателем, на 200+ км #всрф #нанотехнологии pic.twitter.com/v1n0iA3N7U
— Necro Mancer (@666_mancer) October 21, 2025
The ISW (Institute for the Research of Battle), quoting Russian experiences, had stated that UMPK-kitted FAB-3000, FAB-250 and FAB-1500 have ranges from 50-60 km to 60-70 km respectively. The UMPK-PD, just like the equipment on the opposite FAB bombs, can also be largely crude, rudimentary and rapidly improvised, presumably by technical crews of frontline items.
Russia’s UMPK/UMPC kits
These ad-hoc efforts could be financed by way of the communities of nationalist Russian Telegram protection channels like Fighter-Bomber, Rybar and lots of others. They’ve lengthy crowd-funded on a regular basis utilities and army equipment for frontline items from the open market.
The apply has the Kremlin’s blessings to unburden the Russian protection business and MoD paperwork. Since February 2022, these our bodies are engaged in funding, coordinating and producing bigger capital weapons and protection elements.
Evolution of glide/correction modules for FAB-500 (UMPK):1.UMPK — ≤75 km; Navigation unit Kometa-M42.UMPK-PD — ≤100 km; prolonged wings, Kometa M8–M123.UMPK-PDM — ≤150 km; redesigned module, longer wings, potential turbojet, Kometa M12.A number of international elements. pic.twitter.com/Qh0BQB1FM0
— Vladyslav Vlasiuk 💙💛🇪🇺 (@vladvlas) October 21, 2025
Expertise from the sooner kits led to the looks of the huge FAB-3000 UMPK-configured munition which appeared for the primary time in early July 2024. A Russian Ministry of Defence (RuMoD) video confirmed it being launched by a Su-34 on a Ukrainian floor place.
As we had famous right here at The Aviationist, the RuMoD might have put collectively older clips of the explosion and the bomb’s launch to bolster the effectiveness of the weapon. However, the munitions had develop into a headache for Ukraine’s restricted Western and Soviet-era air defenses. President Volodymyr Zelensky periodically raises an alarm as they’re operating out whereas countering Russian assaults, till contemporary NATO deliveries arrive.
Took one other, nearer take a look at the video – the primary 2 seconds & final 8 seconds actually present UMPK-equipped FAB-3000 M-54 (see high two stills). Much less sure in regards to the footage in-between (see backside two stills), particularly at 0 : 02 – 0 : 07; presumably UMPK-equipped FAB-1500 M-54. pic.twitter.com/DBNNLjGlDL
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) July 15, 2024
The general crude and improvised winged steerage kits ultimately did discover a extra refined expression within the type of the UMPB D-30SN, which appeared in Could 2024 dropped by the Su-34. That is largely analogous to the GBU-39 SBD (Small Diameter Bomb), which was one of many few Western and U.S. munitions that scored notable success towards Russian targets regardless of heavy digital warfare and SATNAV (Satellite tv for pc Navigation) jamming.
Fascinating new pics uploaded on a Russian TG channel displaying two UMPB D-30SN munitions affixed to racks underneath the port wing of a VKS Su-34. The nonetheless picture on the underside proper, taken from a clip posted by the identical channel, seems to indicate 2 such munitions shortly after launch. pic.twitter.com/hgJDrqFKxO
— Man Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) Could 22, 2024
The dearth of an lively radio frequency or infrared signature on glide bombs leaves little hint for surface-to-air missile and radar sensors. Whereas Ukraine was constrained with restricted Western provides coming from their very own armories, Russia had a large Chilly Battle-era stockpile of FAB bombs.
The RuMoD final 12 months additionally confirmed then protection minister Sergei Shoigu visiting a manufacturing facility within the Nizhny Novgorod area, inspecting the “elevated manufacturing” of the FAB-500, FAB-1500 and FAB-3000 bombs.
UMPK kits evolution and UMPK-PD
The primary UMPK equipment, particularly on the FAB-500T, had fold-out wings on a fairing that hugged the bomb’s physique with semi-circular straps on each side that met collectively at one level and fixed with clasps. The second UMPK equipment had the identical design, besides that the fairing reached all the way in which to the bomb’s tail.
This equipment, which was noticed each in August 2024 and September 2025, was famous by sources to be rising the FAB-500’s vary from 60-70 km to 80-90 km, when dropped from an altitude of 10,000 meters.
The longer fairing might have been launched to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, higher carry or stability. Each these kits’ nostril part, believed to accommodate the steerage electronics, nevertheless diverged from the nostril and jutted out prominently.
The brand new UMPK-PD’s fairing on the FAB-500T nevertheless has a shorter entrance part, whose flat base sits completely on the bomb’s floor. The opposite half is curved, with the slope virtually alongside the identical line because the bomb, forming a really small angle.
The claimed turbojet part is the tubular finish on the bomb that replaces the usual tapering finish. An in depth-up of the engine revealed it to be a commercial-off-the-shelf SW800Pro-Y made by Chinese language firm Swiwin.
Photographs of the turbojet engine discovered on Russia’s new UMPB-5R bomb. It’s a commercial-off-the-shelf SW800Pro-Y made by Chinese language firm Swiwin. The same mannequin is used within the Banderol and presumably within the new model of the UMPK. pic.twitter.com/AQPGDIgEyG
— John Hardie (@JohnH105) October 23, 2025
All three kinds of bombs rotate 180 levels after being launched, with the strap-on fairing holding the wings approaching the highest. The brand new design seems to be made from lighter materials and presumably, smaller, extra environment friendly electronics.
One other technical evolution within the bomb’s steerage part was noticed by OSINT and drone warfare evaluation account ‘Roy’ in April. He famous the UMPK glide bombs utilizing 12-antenna CRPA SATNAV modules rather than the unique eight antenna setup. This made them extra proof against SATNAV (GPS and GLONASS constellation) jamming by Ukraine.
