The Russian army has systems that are not inferior in effectiveness to weapons of mass destruction, but which operate on the basis of explosives belonging to the so-called high explosive group. Without nuclear tactical warheads or chemical warheads, our troops can cause enormous damage to the enemy. In the event of such an impact, all living things will burn out on an area of tens of thousands of square meters, and hiding in some kind of underground shelter or military equipment is completely useless. The name of this unusual weapon, which has no analogues in the world, is the TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system. Woe to those who will be his goal.
What do the “Bumblebee”, “Pinocchio”, “Solntsepek” and the vacuum bomb have in common?
From a technical point of view, any device is characterized first of all by the main idea according to which it functions.
It is possible to describe in different ways how the Solntsepek flamethrower system works. Popular Mechanics, a site explaining the principle of operation of various types of technical devices, including weapons, focuses on the flamethrower nature of shells, not forgetting the driving characteristics of vehicles and fire control systems. All this is important, but there is one more aspect of the physical nature of the striking factors of Solntsepek. The fact is that the Russian gunsmiths have long abandoned the knapsack or barrel-tank principle, apparently considering it to be morally obsolete. A tank with a combustible substance behind the back of a flamethrower or a similar tank inside a combat vehicle poses a huge danger to those who intend to burn the enemy with a flaming jet, but this is not so bad. In the end, any weapon, even the usual small arms, always requires special care in handling. The main problems are low combat effectiveness, ridiculous by today's standards, range of application and low accuracy. All three negative factors are overcome in the design of such weapons as Bumblebee, Pinocchio and Solntsepek. At first glance, a heavy flamethrower system has little in common with a hand-held compact device similar to a bazooka. But with a deeper familiarization, it becomes clear that the principle of action is based on a volumetric explosion, similar to what a vacuum bomb creates.
The invisible enemy, and how to deal with him
The principle of a volume explosion was invented by the Americans in the sixties. The original idea was not to create weapons of mass destruction. The engineers were given the task: to solve the problem of quickly clearing areas of dense vegetation typical of the jungle of Vietnam. This was necessary to create landing helipads, which had to be cut down manually. After the very first cases of use by the military, the idea came up to use the same principle for enemy soldiers, namely the Viet Cong partisans who took refuge in underground structures. Ordinary bombs could not destroy entire cities hidden under the ground. Vacuum weapons have become a godsend for armies fighting an invisible enemy who knows the terrain and strikes unexpectedly, appearing out of nowhere and disappearing into the unknown.
Through the years, the Soviet Army faced similar problems. Mujahideen troops were hiding in the Afghan mountains, using the relief. It is almost impossible to find the rebels who had hidden under a layer of rock, sometimes raised by an ordinary car jack, they couldn’t be seen from a helicopter, and coming closer, any military unit risked an ambush. This is where the TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system, a military equipment designed for solid bulk destruction, came in handy.
Operating principle
A volumetric explosion proceeds in two phases. The first thing you need to do about it in order to get it is to spray the combustible mixture. Moreover, the finer the dispersion, the more crushing the effect will be. For example, flour mills and cement plants are considered explosive industries, although, as everyone knows, neither gunpowder nor TNT is present. The culprit of accidents is ordinary dust, or rather, its large surface area. A tiny spark - and there is an instant oxidative reaction, otherwise called an explosion.
So the turn of the second phase has come: particles suspended in the air need to be ignited.
It is with such shells that first spray the reagent and then ignite the air-fuel mixture that the Solntsepek, a heavy flamethrower system, shoots.
Pinocchio and Solntsepek
Before the "Sun" was "Pinocchio." The system with this cheerful fairytale name was used by the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, and work on it began in the early seventies. The general ideology of this class of weapons corresponded to certain views of the then leadership of the General Staff and was characterized by a certain degree of gigantomania. It was possible to use “Pinocchio” in the event of an open frontal confrontation of large military groups or positional military operations, during which units are located in deeply echeloned, fortified areas. After realizing that such a situation in the modern world is unlikely, the idea arose to adapt and modernize this generally successful weapon. As a result, it turned out "Sunshine". The heavy flamethrower system became “lighter”, the number of barrels decreased and their security increased.
The number of trunks
If we compare the two systems of volley flamethrowers, the difference is immediately apparent. The tubular trunks from which Pinocchio shoots are arranged in four rows, three in eight and one shorter, for six shells. The Russian “Solntsepek” looks simpler (photo). The weapon was built according to the 3 x 8 formula. So, there were 24 and not 30 shells, which eliminated the excessive firepower, but also overweight, improved mobility and made it possible to carry out enhanced bulletproof armor reservation. Still, she had to “work” in front-line conditions, in the immediate vicinity of the location of enemy units, and who knows which sabotage group can break through in order to destroy it.
Aiming
Missiles can be guided (SD) and conventional, having a parabolic ballistic trajectory (NUR). It is with such shells of the second type that are not equipped with individual guidance systems that the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system fires. Missile technology of this type has only folding stabilizers in the tail section, the purpose of which is to minimize dispersion. Naturally, for a well-aimed hit, devices are required that provide reliable aiming, otherwise accidental hits are not inevitable where they are needed, and even by one’s own troops. The equipment with which the TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system is equipped has the general name "SLA" (fire control system), which includes a computer complex, a laser range finder, optical observation devices, including infrared imaging, and means of operational communication (for adjustment). The result of this system is the correct angles of horizontal and vertical rotation of the barrel unit.
Chassis
Now TOS-1A "Solntsepek", a heavy flamethrower system of volley fire, is mounted on a unified base of the T-72 tank, which provides the convenience of repair and prevention of the chassis. Instead of a tower, a guidance system was installed, which included a rotary platform (with an electromechanical drive) and a swinging part (with an electro-hydraulic system). The power plant based on the tank engine is 840 hp Speed (60 km / h), range with full fueling (550 km) and other driving characteristics are generally the same as that of the T-72. A gradual transition to the "Almaty" chassis is planned, which will increase the degree of mobility of the complex.
Launcher and Charging Machines
But the Solntsek is not one mobile unit. The heavy flamethrower system on the staffing table includes three vehicles, one BM-1 (with a crew of 3 people) and two transport-loading TZM-Ts having the same undercarriage. The mass of the equipped mobile launcher is a little more than 43 tons. TZM-T weighs 39 tons, it is equipped with manipulators that facilitate the loading process. The machines have sapper devices, with the help of which, if necessary, a deepening into the soil is carried out (self-digging).
Shells
The modernized TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system can fire two types of 220-caliber thermobaric unified shells. They differ in size and mass, which leads to a difference in the power of the explosion produced. Missile MO.1.01.04 weighs 173 kg and a length of 330 cm, its reinforced version MO.1.01.04M - 217 kg and 3.7 m, respectively. Solid propellant jet engines deliver a charge, in addition to them, the head and fuse are present in the design. The distance of fire is up to six kilometers, the minimum distance to the target is 400 m.
Combat application of thermobaric SZO
Thermobaric shells have shown high efficiency in mountains and gorges. This was facilitated by the area in which the aerosol suspension does not have time to disperse, and therefore the largest percentage of its volume burns out. After the expansion phase, “curl” of the air mass occurs, oxygen reacts with the combustible substance and a backward blast wave arises. Several cases of the use of TOS-1 (Pinocchio) in Afghanistan are known, in particular, during Operation Typhoon (Salang, 1989) and in Charikar Valley (1988). Crushing blows were dealt to the positions of anti-government groups.
In 2000, Pinocchio systems were used in the area of the village of Komsomolskoye, where militants created powerful fortifications. The fate of the terrorists was a foregone conclusion.
“Solntsepeki” in real combat have not yet been used, but since this SZO in its action differs little from TOZ-1, it is not difficult to predict the effect.
Export potential
In 2008, Rosoboronexport received permission to sell this type of weapon abroad. The first buyer was the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan (3 pcs. TOS-1A). Then Azerbaijan became interested in “Sunshine”, in 2013 this country acquired six units, and the same amount is planned for purchase. Iraq is another state with which Russia supports traditional military cooperation. The TOS-1A Solntsepek heavy flamethrower system will be supplied for the needs of the country's armed forces, which is experiencing great difficulties in fighting radical groups, which indirectly confirms the reputation of this equipment, which has squeezed American manufacturers who counted on certain privileges in the region.
Tactics
The “Solntsepek” volley fire system is very conditionally protected, it is not difficult to hit it from close range, provided, of course, the sabotage group manages to get close. The need for infectious security machines does not add. You can, of course, fire from fortified positions, but this creates the risk that a random projectile will get into the installation or TOZ. The longest shooting distance is six kilometers. Modern artillery systems can also get a more remote and protected object, not to mention cruise missiles or front-line aircraft.
For all these reasons, military experts consider the most acceptable tactic for using these heavy systems is the alternation of covert exit to firing positions immediately before the salvo and the subsequent maneuver with withdrawal from possible bombardment. To implement this scenario, the designers of the Transport Engineering Design Bureau from the city of Omsk created the necessary conditions. The crew manages to prepare for firing in one and a half minutes, and the duration of the volley is 24 seconds.
Sunshine and News
At present, Russian military units are known whose technical composition includes TOS-1A Solntsepek installations. However, from time to time, the media report that these weapons seem to have been seen in the conflict areas of some states, in particular, in the eastern regions of Ukraine. There is no confirmed evidence that the militants of the DNI or LNR have at their disposal "Solntsepek", a heavy flamethrower system. News about this is more likely hypothetical in nature.