Russian Su-33s To Precision-Drop Unguided Bombs In Syria

Russia is planning to equip its Su-33 air superiority fighter with Gefest & T developed SVP-24 ultra-precision targeting system, which enables the warplanes to drop unguided bombs with same precision as a guided weapon.

Deck-based warplanes Su-33 of the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, to be deployed off Syria in November, will be equipped with the air bomb high-precision sighting systems, reported Izvestia on Friday.

The Su-33s outfitted with the SVP-24 will launch strikes using dumb bombs, an official was quoted as saying Sputnik News Friday. The system is tasked with determining the optimal trajectory for the release of a bomb, using the plane's location, flight parameters and target data. It has already performed during Russia's counterterrorism campaign in the embattled Arab country.

"The Su-24s outfitted with the SVP-24 have become the workhorse of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria," defense analyst Anton Lavrov said.The system is a viable alternative to GPS-guided munition popular in the West. Moreover, the Russian solution is cheaper than similar products developed elsewhere.

The SVP-24 compares the position of the aircraft and the target and measures the environmental parameters, including humidity, windspeed, angle of attack, etc. It can receive additional data from AWAC aircraft, ground stations and other planes, The US  military analyst The saker explained in his website .

The system then "computes an 'envelope' (speed, altitude, course) inside which the dumb bombs are automatically released exactly at the precise moment when their unguided flight will bring them right over the target (with a 3-5m accuracy)," the analysis added.

This conveys that every 30+ year old Russian 'dumb' bomb can now be delivered by a 30+ year old Russian aircraft with the same precision as a brand new guided bomb delivered by a top of the line latest bomber, the expert said.