Russia develops new bomb for antisubmarine aircraft and helicopters

Russia’s state technology corporation Rostec reported that develops modernized anti-submarine bomb.

The Zagon-2E guided anti-submarine aerial bomb was presented by the concern Techmash, which is part of the State Corporation Rostec weapons cluster, at the International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg from June 28 to July 2. The bomb was developed by experts of the State Engineering Research Institute in Balashikha. The weapon has the unique ability to hover above the water surface for up to four minutes. At present, there is no similar model in the world.

The Zagon-2E aerial bomb is used against submarines when they are surfaced, at periscope depth, or up to 600 meters below the surface. The weapon which weighs 120 kg and is 1.5 meters long descends on a parachute from an antisubmarine aircraft carrier – Il-38 and Tu-142M jets, and Ka-27 helicopters – and, while hovering above the water surface for up to four minutes, uses its active hydroacoustic guidance system to locate targets within 450 meters. The bomb is three times more effective than the previous generation models – Zagon-1 – and its production cost is three times lower.

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The weapon is silent, has no engine, and carries about 35 kg of explosives. This amount is enough to breach the hull of any submarine. The bomb also has a self-destruct mechanism that activates if the target is not detected within a specified period of time.

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