- Side
- Azerbaijan
A Hybrid CoE working paper says Azerbaijan used converted An-2 aircraft as remote-controlled systems to drop FAB 250 kg free-fall bombs during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Munitions
FAB-250
The FAB-250 is a Soviet-origin 250 kg general-purpose aviation bomb family built around unguided free-fall bodies and later adapted in some wars through improvised carriers or glide-kit conversion. WeaponsSystems.net describes the FAB M62 series as a Soviet free-fall bomb family with a common 250 kg version produced by Bazalt, while direct conflict reporting links FAB-250-class bombs to Azerbaijan's converted An-2 aircraft in 2020 and to Russian and Ukrainian strike adaptations in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
Role in Conflicts
Russian forces have used FAB-250-class bombs with UMPK/UMPC glide kits in Ukraine, while Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed long-range UAVs carrying 250 kg aerial bombs for strikes behind Russian lines.
Role detailsProfile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Built by
- Bazalt
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Type
- 250 kg general-purpose free-fall aviation bomb
- Designer
- Bazalt
- Designed
- Late 1950s
- Produced
- Early 1960s-present
Specifications
- Weight
- About 250 kg
- Length
- 1.92 m
- Diameter
- 0.30 m
- Explosive fill
- About 104 kg net explosive weight for FAB-250 M46; about 107 kg for FAB-250 M62
- Guidance
- Unguided, free-fall
- Fuzing
- Nose and/or tail impact fuzes depending on model and fuze fit
- Lug spacing
- 250 mm
Designation Notes
FAB-250 is a 250 kg-class family name rather than a single fixed bomb body. Ordnance references separate the postwar M46, M54, and M62 patterns, so exact all-up weight, fuzing, and explosive weight should be read by model when the source identifies one.
Family label
GlobalSecurity describes Soviet/Russian bomb calibers as nominal kilogram classes and lists FAB-250 M46, M54, and M62 as separate aviation bomb types.
Explosive weight
The JMU ordnance guide lists about 104 kg net explosive weight for FAB-250 M46 and about 107 kg for FAB-250 M62.
Variants
FAB-250 is best treated as a nominal 250 kg-class bomb-family designation. The M46, M54, and M62 suffixes identify postwar Soviet body and aerodynamic patterns rather than identical all-up weights.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| FAB-250 M46 | Early general-purpose 250 kg bomb | The JMU ordnance guide lists a U.S.S.R. FAB-250 M46 general-purpose bomb with about 104 kg net explosive weight and several compatible nose or tail fuzes. |
| FAB-250 M54 | Mid-1950s FAB body series | Weaponsystems.net describes the FAB M54 family as a Soviet general-purpose bomb series introduced in the mid-1950s; the 250 kg class belongs to that family. Sources: FAB M54 | Weaponsystems.net |
| FAB-250 M62 | Low-drag 250 kg bomb body | Weaponsystems.net and the JMU guide identify the FAB-250 M62 as a 250 kg-class high-explosive aircraft bomb; JMU lists about 107 kg net explosive weight for the M62. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net, JMU Afghanistan Ordnance Identification Guide |
Carrier Aircraft
The FAB-250 family appears in both documented operational adaptations and broader Soviet/Russian carrier-aircraft compatibility records.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Converted unmanned aircraft | The Hybrid CoE working paper says Azerbaijan used a converted An-2 transport aircraft as a remote-controlled system that dropped FAB 250 kg free-fall bombs during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Sources: Hybrid CoE Working Paper 10 |
 | Tactical bomber | Weaponsystems.net lists the FAB M62 family, including the common FAB-250 M62 variant, among bomb types used from the Su-24 Fencer. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net |
 | Strike aircraft | A Commons file sourced to the Russian Ministry of Defence identifies the image as preparation of Russian aircraft in Syria, specifically mounting a FAB-250-M62 bomb on a Su-34. Sources: Commons Su-34 FAB-250-M62 image |
 | Attack aircraft | Weaponsystems.net lists the FAB M62 family, including the common FAB-250 M62 variant, among bomb types used from the Su-25 Frogfoot. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net |
 | Fighter-bomber | Weaponsystems.net lists the FAB M62 family, including the common FAB-250 M62 variant, among bomb types used from the Su-17 Fitter. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net |
 | Fighter aircraft | Weaponsystems.net lists the FAB M62 family, including the common FAB-250 M62 variant, among bomb types used from the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net |
 | Strategic bomber | Weaponsystems.net lists the FAB M62 family, including the common FAB-250 M62 variant, among bomb types usable from Tu-95 bomb bays. Sources: FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.net |
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
FAB M62 | Weaponsystems.netPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports the Soviet origin, Bazalt production background, free-fall aviation-bomb type, 250 kg class weight, dimensions, guidance, warhead, lug spacing, and general family context used on this FAB-250 page. | Accessed: 2026-07-02FAB M54 | Weaponsystems.netPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports the FAB M54 family background and mid-1950s model-series context used in the variant section. | Accessed: 2026-07-02JMU Afghanistan Ordnance Identification GuidePublisher: James Madison University Center for International Stabilization and Recovery | Note: Supports FAB-250 M46 and FAB-250 M62 ordnance identification, net explosive weight values, and fuze-family context used in the specs and variants. | Accessed: 2026-07-02GlobalSecurity Russian Aviation BombsPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the FAB naming context, 250 kg nominal caliber convention, and the listing of FAB-250 M46, M54, and M62 as Soviet/Russian aviation bomb types. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Hybrid CoE Working Paper 10Publisher: Hybrid CoE | Note: Supports direct 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict use: Azerbaijan used converted An-2 transport aircraft as remote-controlled systems and dropped FAB 250 kg free-fall bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Guardian Russian Glide BombsPublisher: The Guardian | Note: Supports the Russia side of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row: Ukrainian government analysis cited by the Guardian describes Russian use of guided bombs fitted with UMPC modules, including bombs ranging from FAB-250 to FAB-1500. | Accessed: 2026-07-02RBC-Ukraine FAB-250 UAV ReportPublisher: RBC-Ukraine | Note: Supports the Ukraine side of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row: the report cites Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces confirming long-range UAVs capable of carrying a 250 kg aerial bomb and describes the system as drones with FAB-250 bombs. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Commons FAB-250-M62 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary FAB-250 gallery image; the Commons file page identifies the photo as a Soviet aircraft bomb in a museum display. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Commons FAB-250 M46 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the FAB-250 M46 gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Commons Fab-250.svgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the FAB-250 schematic gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Commons Su-34 FAB-250-M62 imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and the Su-34 carrier relationship; the Commons page identifies the image as mounting a FAB-250-M62 bomb on a Su-34 during preparation of Russian aircraft in Syria and lists Mil.ru / Russian Ministry of Defence licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02