Russian forces have been using these aerial bombs to hit Ukrainian cities since the first days of the full-scale invasion. In particular, on March 9, 2022, rescuers from the State Rescue Service demonstrated the process of clearing a bomb dropped on Chernigov
Impact of the OFZAB-500, a type of manufactured aerial bomb used in Russia.
The bombs contain significant volumes of incendiary mixture, preventing successful positioning. pic.twitter.com/KM2NrthJvC — Clash Report (@clashreport) November 19, 2024
Russia is currently modernizing these bombs by equipping them with unified planning and correction modules (UMPC) kits, which turn them into guided aerial bombs (CABs). Information about the use of such modernized ammunition appeared only in April 2023.
Modernizing aerial bombs to ones controlled with UMPC kits does not reduce their threat, since we are talking about extremely dangerous thermobaric munitions. In particular, OFZAB-500 bombs use a solid thermobaric mixture OM-100MI-3L, which includes isopropyl nitrate with the addition of aluminum-magnesium powder. The same mixture is used in the RPO-A Shmel infantry flame thrower.
Thermobaric munitions are highly destructive because they create a volumetric explosion of extremely high temperature and pressure, which has a catastrophic effect on personnel and infrastructure in the affected area.
OFZAB-500 is a modern single-acting thermobaric ammunition. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the process of propagation of the shock wave front and intensive combustion of a thermobaric mixture with a temperature of 1500 to 2000 degrees occurs synchronously.
Another characteristic of such ammunition is its ability to create a “cloud of fire” that floats behind cover and destroys everything inside fortifications or buildings.
