Russia's "future super weapon" revealed

Drel glide bomb will become the super weapon of the future, retired army colonel Viktor Litovkin told Russian media.

Drel glide bomb, considered to be Russia's "future super weapon". (Source: Sputnik)

“The glide bomb is dropped by the aircraft and flies to the target at a certain distance, not vertically, but horizontally, aiming at the target set in the program. This is done to ensure that the aircraft does not enter the area of enemy air defense systems,” Colonel Litovkin explained.

The Drel glider is capable of penetrating almost any type of obstacle, be it metal, concrete or earth, and is also capable of attacking multiple targets simultaneously, said Viktor Litovkin.

“The Drel glider bomb penetrates deep into the ground, through various protective structures, through concrete, metal armor. When approaching the target, it can split into several similar bombs of smaller diameter. A conventional bomb will hit one tank, but a glider bomb is capable of destroying several,” Colonel Viktor Litovkin informed.

Earlier, Russia's Rostec state corporation said that mass production of the Drel glide bomb would begin in 2024. The weapon has passed all tests, and the manufacturer is currently developing a detailed line of spare parts for it.

Research into the development of the Drel glide bomb was first announced in 2016, and the new glide bomb will not be detected on radar, according to TASS.

The Drel glide bomb is designed to destroy enemy armored vehicles, ground radar stations, power plant control centers and air defense missile systems.

Unlike conventional gravity bombs, glide bombs have flight control surfaces that allow the attacking aircraft to release them at a distance from the target rather than having to fly directly above it.

According to an intelligence update from the British Ministry of Defense in late November 2023, it is possible that Russia has integrated the glider kit with the RBK-500 cluster bomb weighing nearly 500 kg.

“Russian glide bombs are generally not very accurate. However, if a bomb is launched with a large number of submunitions, the target will suffer significant damage,” according to the British intelligence update.

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