Ukrainian drone offensive ignites chaos at key Russian airbase
Ukrainians have once again attacked the Russian Morozovsk airbase, where Su-34 strike aircraft equipped with hazardous FAB bombs with UMPK modules are stationed. We present the background of this attack.
The attack, conducted during the night of 2 to 3 August 2024, resulted in a fire at the airfield and led to secondary explosions of some stored bombs or missiles. Fuel tanks are also burning.
Some sources indicate that similar to the June attack, the Ukrainians used a swarm of drones. The Morozovsk airbase is one of the most important targets, as it is home to the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment, which is flying Su-34 aircraft. These are among the most valuable machines for the Russians, and the loss of even a few units, given the production shortages, is a significant problem for the Russian Air Force.
Su-34 aircraft - without them, the Russian offensive will collapse
The Su-34 tactical bomber, known in NATO code as Fullback, is an evolution of the Su-27 design, specifically created for ground attacks. This aircraft, considerably larger than its predecessor, is equipped with canard fins and an armoured pilot cabin to enhance resistance to ground fire. The Su-34s were intended to gradually replace the older Su-24 models in the Russian Air Force.
A notable feature of the Su-34 is the cockpit layout, where pilots sit side by side rather than one behind the other. The Russians believe this improves their cooperation. Additionally, the pilots' cabin is enclosed in a titanium shell, which increases their survival chances in the event of strikes from anti-aircraft guns like the Gepard or shrapnel from nearby exploding anti-aircraft missiles.
As a tactical bomber, the Su-34 can carry up to 8 tons of armaments on 12 pylons. These include S-8 unguided rocket pods, Kh-25 missiles, glide bombs of the FAB family up to 3300 pounds or 6600 pounds, and Raduga Kh-59 missiles with a range of over 125 miles. Additionally, the Su-34 is equipped with a GSh-30-1 30mm cannon.
Particularly, glide bombs dropped from over 25 miles are a huge problem for the Ukrainians. Even if they miss by a few tens of yards, these bombs have such a large destructive power that they can destroy any field fortification, which, under normal conditions, provides protection against artillery fire.
The most effective way to defend against them, as journalist Łukasz Michalik from Wirtualna Polska wrote, is to use one's air force or medium-range anti-aircraft systems like Patriot or SAMP/T to shoot down the aircraft carrying these weapons before they are dropped. Unfortunately, Ukraine has significant deficiencies in both categories of equipment.
This allows the Russians to make progress on the front, as detecting the activity of Ukrainian resistance points through so-called "meat assaults" and then destroying the fortifications with aerial bombs has proven to be an effective tactic. However, this method requires two key components.
While people in Russia or elsewhere and aerial bombs can still be found, the situation is worse with Su-34/M aircraft, of which Russia has lost at least 31 since the beginning of the war. Considering the insufficient supply of new machines and the combat readiness likely around 50 percent or less (as planes are also being withdrawn due to wear), and the incurred losses, Russia now has significantly fewer than the roughly 130 aircraft it had at the start of the war.
