TOS-1A Heavy Flamethrower - Russia's Unique and Devastating Weapon

In service since 2001 Russia's TOS-1A multiple rocket launcher has proven itself in combat on numerous occasions - most recently combatting Islamic States and other insurgent forces in Syria and Iraq. Due to its unique capabilities the system was never assigned to Russian artillery units, and instead operates as part of the country's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops. The launcher based on the chassis of a T-72, Russia's most numerous battle tank, and uses a formidable 840 HP engine. The weapon is used in alongside with the TZM-T all terrain reloading vehicle - a platform which allows it to reload on the front lines and is equipped with both a crane a full set of 24 rockets for loading.

The TOS-1A is designed to attack infantry, light armour, fortifications, secured caves, rural strongholds, urban areas, and other fortified and enclosed positions. It is also equipped with basic bunker busting capabilities, and is an ideal platform for countering the tactics commonly used by Islamic insurgent groups such as Islamic State and Al Qaeda. To maximise its effectiveness the TOS-1A makes use of a variant of munitions types, including 220mm rockets with thermobaric or fuel-air explosives. The destruction such weapons can cause is comparable to the American GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) or smaller tactical nuclear weapons. Just one explosion can destroy several city blocks. A single round weighing approximately 3.2 kg can obliterate everything within an eighty cubic meter area. A single salvo fired by a battery of five TOS-1A platforms can destroy all targets in an area of 40,000 square meters (10 acres).

Thermobaric rounds work by dispersing a gaseous cloud of chemicals into the air, which are then detonated by a vacuum explosive to release a high pressure shock wave. The effect is that air is sucked sucked out of confined areas with tremendous force - destroying buildings, caves, trenches and other fortifications and rupturing the lungs of all victims in the vicinity. Russia's Aviation Thermobaric Bomb of Increased Power (ATBIP) is reportedly even more powerful - but it has never been deployed in combat.

The TOS-1A has been provided to the Syrian Arab Army by Russia, and has proven an invaluable asset in combatting insurgent forces in the country. While Syria formerly deployed the less sophisticated TOS-1, the TOS-1A has provided cover to Syrian forces in Idlib province against Al Qaeda militants. The weapons system has also been deployed by Russian forces to their military base at Hmeimim, and has been acquired by the Iraqi Army for use against Islamic State militants. Its deployment in the battle of Mosul was partly responsible for the devastation of the city.

The maximum firing range of the TOS-1A is 6 km, meaning when firing at maximum range it will be out of reach of almost all anti armour weapons systems. The system takes only 0.5 seconds to launch single rocket or two in tandem - a 'ripple fire.' Its formidable payload of 24 90kg rockets can be fired in just 12 seconds - or six seconds when ripple firing. The weapons system is notably a unique innovation of Russia's defence industries, with other nations lacking any comparable platforms. Since developing the TOS-1A, Russia has sought to develop a next generation heavy flame thrower. The country is set to induct the Tosochka heavy flamethrower system in accordance with Russia's 2018-2025 state armaments program - which will be mounted on the chassis of the T-72's successor the T-14 Armata. There are also plans to deploy the system from a wheeled chassis to better operate from deserts, a suitable development considering that the weapon is set to be marketed heavily to Middle Eastern clients. The TOS-1A has already been exported to Syria, Iraq, Algeria and Saudi Arabia - the latter which has entered into a contract for joint production of the weapons system.