The Russians announced an increase in the production of FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs and the launch of mass production of FAB-3000 in February 2024.

The Russian propaganda media reported on this.

The statement was made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during his visit to one of the defense industry enterprises in the Nizhny Novgorod oblast.

The Russians report an allegedly large increase in the production of FAB-500 and a doubling of FAB-1500 production.

Most likely, the increase in the production of FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs is due to the massive use of these munitions with the unified gliding and correction module (UMPK).

However, the exact reason for launching mass production of the FAB-3000 remains unknown.

The only carriers of these bombs in the arsenal of the Russian Aerospace Forces are Tu-22M3 strategic bombers.

The Russians have already used these bombs to target the Azovstal metallurgical facility during the defense of Mariupol.

The bomber can carry up to two such bombs in its internal compartments.

Even if UMPK is developed for the FAB-3000, its use will require an approach to the line of combat, which puts strategic aircraft at significant risk.

FAB-3000

The FAB-3000 is a high-explosive bomb that was developed for Tu-4 bombers in 1946, and later Tu-16 and Tu-22 were equipped with it.

It weighs three tons and is more than three meters long, with an explosive weight of 1.4 tons. The bomb is equipped with three fuzes at once.