On the eve of sunstroke
Just the other day, information was confirmed that the Syrian army received formidable weapons from Russia under the name TOS-1 “Solntsepek”. The interest in a heavy flamethrower system is understandable: the detonation of even a single thermobaric or volume-detonating ammunition in power differs little from the explosion of a small tactical nuclear charge, and people are prone to special effects with pyrotechnics. But in this case, the appearance on the front of the TOS-1 systems, their action will greatly change the balance of forces in favor of the Syrian army and will help it at the accelerated pace to pick up entire fortified areas of terrorists, without being bogged down in a long and bloody positional war.
TOS and TOS-1 owe their appearance to the successes of Soviet gunsmiths in the early 1980s in the field of then-new thermobaric ammunition technologies. In the context of the confrontation between the Warsaw Department and NATO, the possession of powerful, latest non-nuclear weapons did not create a temptation to use nuclear weapons on the battlefield. An additional incentive for the development of thermobaric and volumetric detonating ammunition was the war in Afghanistan. In mountainous and desert conditions with long periods without rain, the use of such weapons occurred in almost ideal conditions.
It is noteworthy that the RCBZ (radiation, chemical and biological defense) troops wanted, in addition to flamethrower tanks, hand-held flamethrower sprinklers and portable ammunition such as “Lynx” and “Bumblebee”, to acquire their own heavy systems. The RKhBZ Troops Directorate entrusted the order for new weapons to two proven production facilities - the Omsk Transport Engineering Design Bureau, famous for the development of its T-80U tanks, and the Motovilikha Plants, which cut their teeth in the production of various-caliber multiple launch rocket systems "Grad", "Uragan" and "Smerch". The factories fully justified the trust, and a heavy multiple rocket launcher for new ammunition was created. First TOS, then TOS-1. Why such a serious system in the first version was given the frivolous name “Pinocchio” is still a mystery.
The first version of TOS came with a package of 24 guides. In TOS-1, a top row of 6 more guides was added to the package and, thus, it was able to fire up to 30 missiles at a time. The TOS and TOS-1 systems have serious differences from the usual MLRS systems. They have a T-72 tank on the base, on which instead of a turret a package with guide pipes is installed. In TOS ammunition, the solid propellant engine takes up much less space than in conventional MLRS ammunition. TOS and TOS-1 ammunition is designed to strike targets at a distance of 2700 - 3500 m.
For the first time, TOS was used by parts of the Soviet Army during the war in Afghanistan, becoming a terrifying “shaitan-pipe” for dushmans. But this weapon was not advertised and was classified as “secret” for a long time. For the first time, TOS-1 came out of the shadows in March 2000, working against the terrorists who captured the village of Komsomolskoye. At the same time, secrecy was lifted from this type of weapon. TOS entered service with engineering and assault battalions, whose task included operations to break into enemy fortified areas. Covered with bulletproof armor, but highly maneuverable, the 46-ton Pinocchio could approach enemy shelters within direct shot range and be guaranteed to burn them out in two salvos. But TOS and TOS-1 are not at all miracle weapons in terms of invulnerability. The large dimensions of the system and weak armor make the vehicle vulnerable to fire from grenade launchers, anti-tank systems and rapid-fire small-caliber guns. Getting into a charged package can trigger the rocket engines and cause other troubles. Therefore, in Chechnya, TOS-1 operated exclusively under the cover of several tanks and, having worked on the target, changed its position.
The exact number of heavy flamethrower systems in the Russian troops is unknown. But there are hardly more than a few dozen of them. This formidable weapon was created for the war against terrorists and in local armed conflicts, in which the use of, for example, the Smerch MLRS would be excessive. Not to mention tactical nuclear weapons.
In this regard, it is proposed to look at the map of Syria and Iraq controlled by ISIS along with oil production facilities. You don’t have to be a strategist with the ability to wisely use your finger on the map to make a small, but very optimistic forecast: in the near future, dissecting attacks on Raqqa, Mayadi and Deir Es-Zor simply beg to dismember the terrorist group, eliminate the main transshipment hub, and major points of production and processing of oil smuggling. As a result, terrorists will remain driven into the far north-eastern corner of Syria, and the vast territory of the country, along with people and resources, will be freed.
As a very distressing consequence for the Saudis, Iraq, through Syrian territory, will be able to pump oil to the north. But now it will not be them who will control this very tasty flow, even without creating bloody chaos on foreign territory.
And the fiery broom that cleanses Syria from the tentacles of the terrorist octopus that have entangled it will be the TOS-1 “Solntsepek”.
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