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LearningTranscript
00:00Till a few days ago I was thinking what everybody else was thinking, that the Russians were
00:04not using a lot of precision-guided munitions in Ukraine because their stores were limited.
00:12Then I received a message with just one acronym SPV-24.
00:22At first I didn't know what it was referring to, so I did what everybody does in 2022,
00:28I ducked agon it, is it a word?
00:30And the article at the top was enough to plunge me into a very deep rabbit hole.
00:37So it seems that the SPV-24 is a Russian ballistic computer that is credited with an extreme
00:45accuracy.
00:47So I referred to my usual sources and I found two types of articles.
00:51The first case there were press releases that were just translated and reported with pretty
00:56much no changes.
00:57Yeah, not very informative, but the other type was like if this is possible then everybody
01:02else using PGMs is an idiot, which I have to admit was a slightly more articulated position.
01:08So at this point I knew I had to look into the Russian sources and thanks to Google Translate
01:14a very curious picture emerged.
01:17Yeah, but first let's make sure that we all understand the context.
01:34Modern aircraft have two modes to release unguided gravity bombs.
01:39Continuously computed impact point is a mode where the armament computer keeps calculating
01:45the impact point of the weapons if they were released now.
01:51In its simplest form the system uses the aircraft motion and the height above the target to
01:57calculate the impact point.
01:59This information is usually presented as a paper or a crosshair on the head-up display.
02:05The pilot flies the aircraft to a point where the target is under the crosshair, then it
02:10releases the payload.
02:11The system may consider several additional parameters.
02:14First of all, the ballistic characteristics of the weapons being used, but also wind,
02:20humidity, temperature or specific conditions of the release system on the aircraft.
02:26This mode can work with different attack trajectories like level bombing, dive bombing and the parameters
02:32may be acquired automatically or in older systems that can be entered manually by the pilot.
02:39Continuously computed release point is a more sophisticated mode that is not only useful
02:44for unguided weapons, but it can also help optimizing the trajectory of guided weapons.
02:50In this mode the first step is to designate the target position, that is by a bombing
02:56radar or some other sensors.
02:59Based on the target position and the aircraft kinematics, the system calculates where and
03:05when payload needs to be released to hit the target.
03:09The information is usually presented as a line on the head-up display with a symbol
03:15placed on the target and in some cases also a countdown to the release is also shown.
03:22The pilot will fly the aircraft in the direction suggested by the system and the computer will
03:28decide when to release the weapons in order to maximize the possibility to hit the target.
03:36Level toss and loft bombing accuracy can greatly benefit from this type of approach.
03:42CCRP is helpful with guided weapons too, for example a laser guided weapon will be released
03:48when the possibilities of locking onto the target are maximized and the ballistic trajectory
03:55is ideal.
03:56This system has been in use for a very long time and has been implemented on pretty much
04:01every type of aircraft whose mission is to hit some ground targets.
04:07Obviously the complexity has grown from a manual input system to something which is
04:12pretty much entirely automatic like in modern aircraft.
04:16Is the SPV-24 just another system like this?
04:21Or is it different?
04:22Well, it is not.
04:24The SPV-24, which is actually nicknamed Hephaestus, is an assembly of several subsystems whose
04:30job is to implement a CCRP system, but a system on steroids.
05:00So the SPV-24 can be connected with the aircraft sensor, either radar, infrared or TV, to designate
05:20the target.
05:21But it can also receive the target designation from another aircraft, from a NOAAX or from
05:28a forward air controller on the ground, and this process is completely automatic and in
05:34real time.
05:35It doesn't involve the pilot entering any data.
05:38The system integrates satellite navigation, which means GLONASS obviously, but we can
05:43safely assume that it is also going to use all the other available systems.
05:47It is using satellite navigation to be very very accurate about the position and the kinematics
05:54of the aircraft and the target.
05:56If combined with a ground controller, the aircraft can receive local data conditions
06:02like wind, extremely important, but also humidity, temperature.
06:08And if the target is moving, it can receive direction and speed of the target.
06:14And the update is automatic and in real time.
06:16On the basis of this extended data set, the computer calculates and gives the pilots the
06:21best trajectories to attack the target.
06:24For example, it can choose a high altitude option or a low altitude option, or toss bombing
06:31rather than level bombing.
06:33Then the pilot makes its choice and the computer automatically releases the weapons.
06:38So the system is more accurate than any other ballistic computer because it uses an extended
06:43data set to calculate the firing solution.
06:47This seems to be the secret sauce of the SPV-24.
06:52When the system in its current form was first tested in Syria, the Russians were enthusiasts
06:57because they had never seen anything like that.
07:00Accuracy is measured with a parameter called Circular Error Probability.
07:05For example, if the CEP of a system, or anything for what matters, is 50 meters, it means that
07:1350% of the shots fall in a circle of 50 meters radius around the target.
07:22There have been unconfirmed reports that the SPV-24 demonstrated a CEP of 13 meters, which
07:31is definitely much better of any other system of this kind.
07:34Obviously, the CEP depends from a lot of conditions, but even this is the best CEP they could get
07:41from the system, it is still a remarkable result.
07:46Observers on the ground reported at least one confirmed case in which an aircraft equipped
07:52with the SPV-24 was capable of hitting directly a tank with an unguided bomb, something which
07:59is incredibly difficult to obtain.
08:02The Russians were so happy with the system that contracts were signed in a hurry to equip
08:07almost all the air-to-ground platforms of the VKS, there have been claims from Russian
08:12officials that the system is as accurate as precision-guided munitions.
08:19Actually if the system CEP is 13 meters and the JDAM CEP is 10-12 meters, well I can see
08:26where the claim is coming from.
08:28So is this to be believed?
08:29Well, no, it can't be.
08:32First because I believe that the JDAM is definitely much more accurate than that.
08:37Second, it is impossible to work around the law of physics.
08:41When the payload leaves the pylon, it will always have a minor lateral velocity component,
08:48and during the fall, the wind will influence it in a way that can be irregular and very
08:55difficult to calculate.
08:56Every time free-fall bombs are used, it is also expected that they will have a dispersion.
09:02There's no way around.
09:04It is indeed likely that a system like the SPV-24 that is using an extended set of parameters
09:11to calculate the trajectory is going to be more accurate than the average armament computer,
09:17potentially even much more accurate.
09:20Still, it's hard to believe that it's going to reach the same level of accuracy as a guided
09:25weapon.
09:27Nothing to see here?
09:28Well, no, because a system like this can still be valuable.
09:33I don't know the numbers, but probably a salvo of DAM-Russian bombs is still 4 or 5 times
09:41less expensive than a JDAM kit.
09:44DAM bombs are relatively cheap, can be serially produced, they are low technology, they don't
09:49depend on foreign suppliers, so they will always be available.
09:53If they can reach a decent level of precision like the SPV-24 seems to provide, they are
10:00still an excellent bang for the buck.
10:03Western air forces today hardly use unguided weapons, so a system like this for a NATO
10:08country would not be particularly interesting.
10:12But for a mid-tier air force, well, it's definitely something to consider.
10:17And probably the presence of a system like this is the reason why we are seeing so many
10:25DAM bombs being used in Ukraine.
10:28But there is still something unclear.
10:30Who sent me the original message?
10:40If you got so far, I'm sure you liked the video, and if you liked the video, there are
10:44several other videos about the Russian air force and Russian aircraft on the channel
10:49that are going to appear beside me.
10:51A great thank you to all those who are supporting the channel by being members or on Patreon.
10:55Remember there is a new way of supporting the channel by purchasing aircraft models
10:59built by Air Models, there is an affiliate link below, I will get a small percentage
11:03and at no extra cost for you.
11:06So, thank you very much for watching, and see you there!