OVERVIEW: The PLAB‑350M‑73 is a Soviet-era 350 kg incendiary bomb carrying a thickened fuel-based incendiary composition, designed for widespread fire‑inducing area attacks.

DETAIL: The PLAB‑350 series is part of the Soviet ZAB-class incendiary bombs (ZAB/ZARP), featuring a thin-walled steel casing filled with a viscous fuel mixture that disperses on impact. The incendiary filler typically comprises organic fuels thickened with rubber, polystyrene, or similar agents, igniting spontaneously to generate intense fires (~1,000 °C).

The M‑73 modernization (introduced in 1973) refined the delivery tail assembly for stable high-speed deployment and improved fuze compatibility for varied mission profiles. Incorporating standard mechanical or electric nose/tail fuzes, its design supports impact or time-delay detonation modes.

Typically delivered from medium or low-altitude sorties using tactical aircraft such as the Su‑17/22, Su‑24, Su‑25, and MiG‑23/27/29. Mission roles include anti-personnel incendiary area denial, destruction of fuel or supply depots, and psychological impact operations.

NOTE:
IOC: ~1973
Operators: Soviet Union → Russian Federation; export to Warsaw Pact & allied nations
Platform: Su‑17/22, Su‑24, Su‑25, MiG‑23, MiG‑27, MiG‑29
Conflicts: Afghan War (1979–89), Chechnya, Syria, Ukraine

SOURCE:
Wikipedia: Soviet and Russian aerial bombs, ZAB incendiary