Ukraine's low‑tech triumph: Downing Russian glide bomb
The Ukrainian achievement of downing a KAB glide bomb for the first time has led to speculation about the weapon used. According to one Ukrainian analysis, the equipment used to neutralize the KAB might be surprisingly basic, with the key factor being not the weapon's capabilities, but the training and skills of the operators.
The successful interception of a KAB bomb, widely covered by Ukrainian media, was attributed, according to an official statement, to experimental weaponry. An analysis on a Ukrainian profile on Telegram suggests that the "experimental weapon" might actually be a straightforward, popular, and inexpensive system.
According to the Sunflower profile, the Ukrainians employed the well-known ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft system to shoot down the KAB. This is an older piece of equipment, produced since the 1960s and widely used worldwide.
Despite the age and simple design of the ZU-23-2, its capabilities can be enhanced with modern target detection and fire control systems.
This approach is used by the creators of the Polish PSR-A Pilica system, where anti-aircraft guns are augmented with an automatic target detection and guidance system. This setup allows multiple systems to operate together under the watch of one operator, semi-automatically destroying identified and approved targets.
ZU-23-2 vs. KAB
While the effectiveness of the ZU-23-2 can be considerably increased, the limits of its modernization are determined, among other factors, by the size of the projectile, for which developing programmable ammunition is difficult (though not impossible, as demonstrated by the Russians in the ZAK-23E system with 2A7M guns).
The KAB bombs used by the Russians (FAB bombs of various weights with the UMPK module attached) are comparable to American JDAM-ER bombs. They are basic, free-falling aerial bombs with an attached guidance module and foldable wings, allowing the bomb to glide for several tens of kilometres.
The widespread use of KAB bombs gave the Russians a significant advantage, enabling effective attacks on fortified targets without exposing aircraft to anti-aircraft fire from MANPADS or short-range systems.
Destroying an FAB bomb is a significant success for Ukraine
Hitting a single bomb carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives is much more effective than artillery fire, where a single shell carries several dozen kilograms of explosive material.
The extensive use of glide bombs became one reason for Russian successes on the front, allowing Russians to break through Ukrainian defenses more swiftly than before.
Therefore, if Ukrainians have indeed developed a method to destroy KAB bombs using small-calibre artillery effectively and very cheaply (and did not down one bomb just by sheer luck), it could signify an important shift in the balance of power. Ukraine may have discovered a way to defend against a threat they previously had been unable to counter.
