#1 A long, detailed essay. One point:
"The primary aim of deploying the MPK/UMPK glide bombs was no ‘precision’..., but to enable launching aircraft to release weapons from outside the area covered by enemy air defences. Secondary was that of the new weapon requiring no modifications on systems of aircraft deploying it (i.e. compatibility with all combat aircraft currently in service), etc. The result was a crude weapon, comprising a set of wings attached to FAB-250M-62s and FAB-500M-62s to enable them to glide over extended range. Such a weapon can be deployed by Su-30s, Su-34s, and Su-35s from ranges outside the reach of Ukrainian air defence. |