KAB-500
Summary
| Category | Guided Bomb |
| Sub-type | Laser-guided bomb |
| Origin country | 🇷🇺 Russia |
| Manufacturer | Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1975 |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | High-explosive |
| Warhead weight | 450 kg (992 lb) |
| Guidance | Laser |
| Diameter | 350 mm (13.8 in) |
| Length | 3,050 mm (120.1 in) |
| Weight | 525 kg (1,157 lb) |
| CEP | 7 m |
| Max. speed | 1,150 km/h (Mach 1.2) |
KAB-500 scale diagram
Carried by
Description
The KAB-500L is a laser-guided bomb developed for the Soviet Air Force that entered service in 1975. The weapon utilizes a laser seeker for guidance and carries a blast-effect high-explosive warhead. Technical documentation credits the system with a circular error probable (CEP) of seven meters. The guidance technology integrated into the KAB-500L is also utilized in the larger KAB-1500L series.
A variant of the system, designated KAB-500S-E, employs a guidance system based on the GLONASS satellite constellation. This version is designed for deployment from aircraft operating at various altitudes and airspeeds, maintaining a CEP between seven and 12 meters.
The munition remains in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It is also operated by the Indian Air Force, primarily using the Su-30MKI as a launch platform, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force on the Sukhoi Su-30MKM. The KAB-500S-E variant was first used in combat during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War in September 2015.