Regrettably, it seems the Russian military has used TOS-1A to hit certain parts of Ukraine
with TOS-1A that fires thermobaric rockets.
Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States,
told reporters on 28 Feb after meeting with members of the U.S. Congress that
Russia had used a thermobaric weapon, known as a vacuum bomb, in its invasion of her country.
Markarova said after a meeting with lawmakers, "They used the vacuum bomb today,
the devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large."
There are no comments from the Russian side regarding this.
In this video, Defense Updates why Russia's use of TOS-1A is an extremely disturbing development?
Let's get into the details.
While as of now there is no official confirmation,
but the TOS-1A was earlier seen near the Ukrainian border.
CNN reported that one of its teams had spotted TOS-1A. Several footages from many other people
and security cameras also collaborate that TOS-1A had rolled into Ukraine.
According to unconfirmed reports,
TOS-1A has been delivered to the border between Russia and Ukraine via railway.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said she had seen reports but did not have confirmation that
Russia had used such weapons. "If that were true, it would potentially be a war crime,"
she told a press briefing, noting that there are international organizations that would assess
that and President Joe Biden's administration "would look to be a part of that conversation."
TOS-1A is a heavy short-range multi-barrel thermobaric rocket launcher
In the late 1970s, the idea of a heavy short-range multiple rocket launcher (MRL) came into the
picture. The aim was to launch rockets equipped with incendiary and thermobaric warheads.
The combat system consisting of the combat vehicle, rockets, and loading vehicle was designed
and developed in the early 1980s and was named TOS-1, remaining a secret effort for a long time.
The system is intended to engage military personnel, equipment, and buildings,
including fortified buildings. The combat system is generally used along with infantry and tanks.
The system uses the chassis of the T-72
main battle tank. The reloading vehicle was built on the chassis of a KrAZ-255B
cross-country truck and equipped with a crane for loading/unloading of the launcher.
In 2001, the improved TOS-1A system entered service.
It has been conceptualized to unblock battlefield deadlocks, by directing concentrated fire in a
target area. The system is unique by its technical solutions and has no rivals in the world.
TOS-1 or TOS-1A is different from traditional handheld or tank-mounted flamethrowers
used during World War II and onwards.
The TOS-1 & TOS-1A are labeled as flamethrowers because, in addition to traditional incendiary
rockets, these can also fire thermobaric rockets into enemy-held areas, setting them ablaze.
The thermobaric rockets are different from conventional weapons
as for explosion they use oxygen from the atmosphere instead of their own oxidizers.
The thermobaric rockets discharge a cloud of chemicals like tetranite into
the atmosphere before the actual detonation. Through this process,
thermobaric rockets are capable of generating blasts
that have a very high temperature as well as result in shattering shockwaves.
Not only is the blast considerably longer and the shockwave significantly hotter and
stronger than a conventional warhead, but all the oxygen in the adjacent area is also used up,
creating a partial vacuum. It can cause a tearing effect on the human lungs.
Walls and surfaces do not necessarily shield targets,
rather cause multiple pressure waves, which amplify the effects.
This makes them deadly weapons against infantry. Also, it is highly effective
when used against entrenched personnel in bunkers and caves.
If the persons present in the blast perimeter somehow survive the initial intense blast,
they die due to suffocation as their lungs rupture in the vacuum afterward.
The lethal power of TOS 1A makes it a deadly weapon.
All rockets of the system can be launched within 6 to 12 seconds.
It has the ability to set ablaze areas the size of 4 to 5 football fields in a single salvo.
Because of this, TOS 1 and TOS 1As are also referred to as Blazing Sun.
The system is equipped with 220 mm rockets. Original system TOS-1, was 30 barreled
and had a range of 3.5 km or about 2.2 miles. The launch vehicle is outfitted with a fire
control mechanism that has a ballistic computer, which performs the required targeting computation
by taking input from aiming sight and laser range finder. The TKN-3A sight for the commander
and a GPK-59 navigation system is also present. It needs a crew of 3 for operation.
TOS-1A is 24 barreled and has an enhanced range of 6 km or 3.7 miles.
Its ballistic computer has also been upgraded for better targeting accuracy.
It must be noted that for longer-range fire,
Russia has other systems like the Smerch MLRS system.
TOS-1A is designed to break through the enemy defenses by brutal firepower.
When Russian President Putin decided to invade Ukraine, he would have wanted to achieve the
military objectives swiftly. But it didn't work out as planned
and the Russian forces have been facing a lot of resistance.
Ukrainian forces have been building bunkers and trenches on the front line
in preparation for possible hostilities. Dug-in Ukrainian infantry armed with weapons like
American-made Javelin Anti Tank Missile has been a source of major head-ace for Russian forces.
There are indications that President Putin has got restless
and has now decided to use the full array of weapons available at his disposal.
It is a very disastrous development for the people in Ukraine. It is likely that
TOS-1A will be unleashed wherever Russian forces face strong opposition.