Autotranslated:
spoiler
MOSCOW, March 21 – RIA Novosti. Russia has launched mass production of three-ton high-explosive aerial bombs FAB-3000, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
“The production of FAB-500 aerial bombs has been increased many times, the production of FAB-1500 has been doubled, and since February of this year, mass production of FAB-3000 has been organized,” the Ministry of Defense said.
Russia has also expanded the range of ammunition produced. In addition, since last year the volume of production of modern artillery and aviation weapons has increased fivefold, the ministry added.
It is noted that such results were achieved thanks to the reactivation of capacities, technical re-equipment and modernization of production lines for the manufacture of projectiles using modern high-tech equipment.
Thus, since 2022, more than 45 thousand square meters of production space have been reconstructed, modernized and put into operation, the department emphasized.
At the enterprise that Shoigu visited, they said that most of its sections work around the clock on a three-shift schedule, and the total number of personnel has grown by more than 1,100 people.
“At the same time, tariff rates and salaries were increased and the bonus system for employees was changed, and therefore wages increased by an average of 20 percent,” the plant reported.
In general, as the Minister of Defense indicated, the Nizhny Novgorod defense industry enterprises fulfilled the tasks that were set for them a year ago. In addition, by introducing new facilities, they are working ahead of production schedule.
A recent video out of the war shows the shell shock after just being in the same general area of a 1500kg FAB-1500: https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineRussiaReport/comments/1bjnk9i/ua_pov_affected_afu_soldiers_after_surviving_a/
Shell shock is believed to not just be PTSD, but the overpressure of the explosions repeatedly damaging your brain and overall nervous system like an American football player. The last article I saw about the number of FAB sorties being launched per day said it was around 100~ with a current-but-expanding range of 60-70km. These are of course just artillery shells with metal wings and a GPS attached to them, with Russia doubling production of the FAB-1500s since their deployment.
In this war I don't see how the Ukrainians can counter that weapon short of a NATO no-fly zone which would immediately become WW3. Russia can strike any of the western anti-air systems that have been sent over with minutes between ID and impact. It's going to be like that Stephen King short story where everything collapses due to universal dementia.
"Even" a FAB 500 is a beast. If you've seen the kind of destruction Kalibr missiles make - those have warheads of 200-400 usually (at least AFAIK). Now imagine three times that. Modern weapons are quite horrific
The visible blastwaves are so huge. JDAMs only weigh 230-910kg. I've seen videos of 1500s taking out entire factories, and even if you managed to survive that it'd result in life-changing brain damage. Between these and drones there's no way in hell I'd ever let myself be conscripted.
Missiles travel at a faster speed and so deliver more kinetic energy at the point of impact. Gravity bombs need to have a bigger nominal payload to make a similar impact.
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