Vietnam's Su-30MK2 is equipped with smart bombs weighing...1.5 tons

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said that in 2009, Vietnam received 200 KAB-500/1500 guided bombs to equip the Su-30MK2.

SIPRI has not specified the types of KAB-500/1500 smart bombs that Vietnam has received, so they could be the following types.

First is the KAB-500L - a laser-guided bomb with a nominal weight of 500 kg with similar characteristics to the American Paveway.

KAB-500L laser guided bomb.

Essentially, the KAB-500L is an unguided FAB-500 bomb equipped with a semi-active laser seeker that guides the tail fin, turning it into a smart glide bomb.

The KAB-500L is 3.05 m long; 0.35 m in diameter; 0.75 m in wingspan; weighs 525 kg with a 450 kg warhead.

The bomb can be dropped from an altitude of 500 - 5,000 m and the speed of the bomber is 550 - 1,100 km/h, the seeker can capture the target at a maximum distance of 17 km with a margin of error (CEP) of 7 m.

KAB-500Kr optically guided bomb.

Next is the KAB-500Kr - a television-optical guided bomb belonging to the "Launch and Forget" weapon group developed by the Soviet Air Force after the KAB-500L, around the mid-1980s. The KAB-500Kr is considered to have features equivalent to the US GBU-15.

The KAB-500Kr was also built on the FAB-500 bomb by adding a television optical seeker.

The KAB-500Kr is 3.05 m long; 0.35 m in diameter; 0.75 m in wingspan; weighs 560 kg with a 380 kg armor-piercing warhead that can penetrate 1.5 - 2 m of reinforced concrete before exploding.

The KAB-500Kr bomb can be dropped from an altitude of 500 - 5,000 m and the speed of the bomber is 550 - 1,100 km/h similar to the KAB-500L, the optical television seeker can lock the target from a distance of 15 - 17 km depending on visibility.

KAB-500S-E satellite guided bomb.

The latest version in the KAB-500 family is the KAB-500S/SE satellite-guided bomb, which has been in service since 2003 and is considered equivalent to the US GBU-32 JDAM 1,000 lb.

The KAB-500S/SE bomb is equipped with a Kompas PSN-2001 satellite signal receiver that can use 24 different signal channels.

This receiver is compatible with both GLONASS and GPS global positioning systems. The bomb is equipped with a fuse with 3 different programming modes, the target deviation radius is about 7 - 12 m.

KAB-1500Kr optically guided bomb.

The technology of KAB-500L and KAB-500Kr was also applied to the two larger bombs, KAB-1500L and KAB-1500Kr, by equipping the unguided bomb FAB-1500 with a laser and optical seeker.

Basic specifications of the KAB-1500L/ KAB-1500Kr bomb: length 4.28/ 4.63 m; diameter 0.58 m; wingspan 1.3/ 0.85 m; weight 1,525 kg with a warhead weighing 1,170 kg.

KAB-1500 laser guided bomb.

The two types of bombs can be dropped from an altitude of 1,000 - 8,000 m and the speed of the bomber is 550 - 1,100 km/h. The laser seeker of the KAB-1500L bomb can lock on the target from a distance of 17 km with a CEP of 7 m.

According to Baodatviet