Espreso. Global

Russian RBK-500 cluster bomb: real threat or propaganda?

21 November, 2023 Tuesday
17:20

Unpacking the claims of Russian RBK-500 cluster bomb being turned into a guided weapon using a UMPK module

client/title.list_title

Defense Express writes about it. 

Russian sources assert that the RBK-500 cluster bomb has been turned into a guided weapon using UMPK (universal gliding and correction module), allegedly deployed in the war, including eastern Ukraine. While this claim raises concerns, Western outlets have echoed it without critical scrutiny. Defense Express explored whether the RBK-500 has indeed been adapted with a UMPK module and the broader implications of this potential transformation.

Firstly, as per the article, the RBK-500 primarily functions as a carrier for small-sized submunitions designed to hit area targets, with variations for different types of ammunition. Reports of its use, such as the RBK-500 SPBE-D in Syria, have surfaced, suggesting a range of up to 50 kilometers.

The key question emerges: Can the UMPK module be integrated into the RBK-500, transforming it into a glider? Examining the design of the RBK-500, which requires the shank to separate from the cartridge for effective deployment, and the UMPK module's construction, it seems challenging for the tail to detach mid-flight under normal circumstances, the publication notes.

Therefore, the claim of turning the RBK-500 into a glider remains unverified.

While doubts persist regarding this specific transformation, the overall threat of cluster weapons in the Russian arsenal should not be underestimated. The Tornado-S guided missile system, used by Russian forces, boasts a range of up to 130 km, armed with cluster-guided rockets like the 5М544 and 5М549. These weapons, observed in battles, outclass the RBK-500 in terms of danger, with varying capacities for cumulative-fragmentary elements.

Skepticism surrounds the alleged transformation of the RBK-500 into a glider, but the broader concern lies in the arsenal of cluster weapons at Russia's disposal, where other systems pose even greater threats than the RBK-500, the article concludes. 
 

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Tuesday
14 January
21:40
Exclusive
Trump to nullify International Criminal Court warrant by meeting with Putin - expert
21:25
Zelenskyy releases video showing interrogation of captured North Korean soldier
21:10
South Korea ready to take DPRK soldiers captured by Ukraine
20:52
OPINION
Biden took the “safe route”
20:30
NATO starts Baltic Sentry mission, Tusk announces increased presence
20:07
46% of Ukrainians prioritize NATO membership over EU accession – KIIS survey
19:46
Exclusive
“Breaking new ground”: Defense Express on Ukraine’s largest strike on Russian military targets
19:25
Updated
Ukrainian Air Force technicians report mass transfers to infantry; General Staff responds
19:06
Volker expects “decisive approach” in Trump’s Ukraine policy
18:45
Depletion of Russian air defense exposes rear regions to strikes
18:24
Ukrainian exports entered 16 new markets in 2024
17:59
Slovak opposition to call no-confidence vote against Fico government over shift to Russia
17:38
Russia’s military aviation: What happens to 1,100 aircraft not in combat over Ukraine?
17:13
Ukraine may cease to exist in 2025, negotiations should be with U.S., says Putin's aide. Ukraine responds
16:52
Military exercises in Gomel District, Belarus, pose no threat to Ukraine – SBGS
16:34
Ukraine sets up 36 working groups to prepare for EU membership negotiations
16:14
Russian "court" sentences seven Ukrainian POWs involved in Kursk operation
16:03
Updated
Ukraine launches massive strike on Russian military targets, up to 1,100 km deep
15:57
Russian agents exploit families of Ukrainian POWs for sabotage
15:37
Exclusive
'Trump is unpredictable but farsighted': VOA's Myroslava Gongadze on Greenland controversy
15:16
Russian oil tankers stalled as U.S. sanctions bite
14:52
Ukraine's largest long-range strike to date hits key Russian military and industrial sites
14:38
Ukraine exports almost $25 billion worth of goods to EU in 2024
14:17
OPINION
Mobilization of 18-year-olds: the West's excuses for its own failures
13:50
Exclusive
From Bryansk to Kazan: Ukraine targets Russian defense industry with precision strikes
13:31
OPINION
Biden in his last presidency days finishes off Russian economy
13:03
Review
Ukraine receives world's most advanced self-propelled gun from Germany: Column by Serhiy Zgurets
12:42
Exclusive
Challenges in Kursk region now are future challenges for Seoul – military expert Selezniov
12:23
OPINION
Fico, Szijjártó, and Orbán use "gas" statements to portray Ukraine as unreliable. Vitaly Portnikov column
11:53
Ukraine repels 77 Russian attacks near Pokrovsk, 166 clashes along frontline
11:36
Exclusive
All border settlements with Russia destroyed: Ukrainian border guard on Sumy situation
11:12
Exclusive
China builds icebreaking navy: expert Lakiychuk on Arctic struggle
10:53
Russian troops cut two roads in Donetsk to push Ukrainian forces from Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad — ISW
10:33
Germany's Defense Minister Pistorius makes unannounced visit to Kyiv
10:14
Biden and Zelenskyy highlight historic U.S. presidential visit to Ukraine in new video
09:34
Russian army loses 1,330 troops, 3 tanks, 47 artillery systems in day of war in Ukraine
2025, Monday
13 January
20:55
Russia accuses Ukraine of attack on gas station in Krasnodar, Hungary calls it threat to sovereignty
20:38
Slovakia: a student with Ukrainian symbols refused to shake the president's hand
20:36
UK to fund Ukraine’s production of air defense systems, long-range weapons
20:18
Iran in secret talks with Russia for assistance on nuclear program – media
More news