Russia to mass-produce ‘Drel’ glide bombs

Russia plans to commence the serial production of its cutting-edge glide bomb, the PKB-500U ‘Drel’ (meaning ‘drill’ in Russian), this year. The development was disclosed by a representative from the Rostec state defense conglomerate, as reported by the state TASS news agency.

After an extensive development phase and limited deployment in Ukraine, this new weapon marks a significant advancement. It ingeniously transforms conventional “dumb” gravity bombs into highly precise guided munitions capable of inflicting substantial damage on ground targets while maintaining a safe distance.

According to reports by TASS, these advanced bombs, among Russia’s latest weaponry, possess the capability to autonomously navigate through a gliding flight path towards a target, ensuring precision at an extended range. They deploy their payload by opening above the target at precisely the right moment.

“To date, the product has passed all types of tests,” TASS cited an unnamed representative at Rostec as saying.

The primary research and development phase was supposedly finished in 2016, but field testing was postponed. “The production of the first batch of the Drel aerial bomb is planned for 2024,” the report added.

TASS reported that the ‘Drel’ is intricately designed to obliterate armoured vehicles, ground-based radar stations, power plant control centres, and anti-aircraft missile systems. Military analysts note its resilience against jamming and radar detection, making it a formidable challenge to neutralize.

Cluster bomb

According to both Russian and Western sources, ‘Drel’ is identified as a cluster bomb. It’s noteworthy that cluster munitions, banned by over 100 countries, have the characteristic of releasing numerous smaller bomblets, causing indiscriminate casualties across a broad area. The unexploded bomblets, which remain hazardous for decades, underscore the controversial nature of these munitions.

Also Read: Ukraine war: Russia has ‘sufficient stockpile’ of cluster bombs – Putin

Ukraine, having received cluster munitions from the United States with a commitment to employing them solely for dispersing concentrations of enemy soldiers, expresses concern over Russia’s deployment of similar bombs on its territory, describing them as “an extremely great threat”.

TASS, quoting the Rostec representative, reported that details regarding the deployment of these bombs in Ukraine are treated as confidential. Notably, in July of the previous year, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin asserted that Russia would resort to using cluster bombs in Ukraine if deemed necessary.

If the destructive component of the ‘Drel’ bomb fails to engage its intended target, the bomb is designed to self-destruct after a predetermined period. This feature ensures that it “will not pose a danger to the population after the cessation of hostilities

Cost-effective weapon

Gliding bombs represent a cost-effective weaponry solution that utilizes fins to extend the range of the original munition. Notably, unlike missiles, they offer the advantage of not requiring expensive engines.

These gliding bombs can be deployed by high-flying warplanes without entering the range of short-range enemy air defense systems. Their precision targeting is facilitated by their reliance on the GLONASS satellite navigation system.

Bazalt, the defense engineering laboratory behind the creation of ‘Drel’, positions it as a sophisticated cluster weapon equipped with 15 parachute-equipped submunitions. These submunitions can be tailored to specific targets, ranging from radar stations to armored vehicles.

Tecmash, a subsidiary of Rostec and the owner of Bazalt, has revealed that the technology incorporated in the ‘Drel’ can be adapted for civilian applications. This versatility extends to the precise airdropping of emergency supplies to remote areas, ensuring accuracy in delivery.