Ukraine destroys first Russian TOS-2 Tosochka thermobaric rocket launcher.

As reported by Aloha on February 16, 2025, a Russian TOS-2 Tosochka thermobaric rocket launcher has been destroyed in Ukraine, marking the first visually confirmed loss of this system in combat. Reports from multiple sources, including geolocated imagery, indicate that the vehicle was struck near Petrovka, Donetsk.
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Russian sources have described the deployment of the TOS-2 in Ukraine as part of efforts to modernize battlefield fire support capabilities, emphasizing its increased mobility and range over older models. (Picture source: Twitter/Aloha and Russian media)

The TOS-2 is a wheeled successor to the tracked TOS-1 and TOS-1A thermobaric multiple rocket launchers. Introduced into Russian service in 2021, it was designed by NPO Splav to engage fortified positions, lightly armored vehicles, and enemy personnel using 220mm thermobaric rockets. Based on the 6x6 Ural-63706-0120 truck, the TOS-2 offers increased mobility and reduced logistical requirements. It is equipped with 18 launch tubes and has a reported maximum firing range of 20 kilometers. The system features an automated targeting system, an integrated crane for reloading, and design elements intended to reduce vulnerability to precision-guided weapons.

The TOS-2 was first publicly displayed during the 2020 Moscow Victory Day Parade and later presented at the Kavkaz-2020 military exercises in September 2020. The system entered service with Russia’s Central Military District on January 6, 2021. By late May 2022, Russian state media reported its deployment in Ukraine. Additional sightings placed the system near Kreminna, Luhansk Oblast, in October 2023. In August 2024, reports indicated that its firing range had been extended and that masking coatings had been introduced.

Russian sources have described the deployment of the TOS-2 in Ukraine as part of efforts to modernize battlefield fire support capabilities, emphasizing its increased mobility and range over older models. Russian military officials have noted that the system has undergone continuous improvements, including extended range and additional protective features. State media highlighted its effectiveness in targeting fortified positions and enemy personnel, while also acknowledging that it had been adapted for engagements in both urban and open terrain.

The TOS-2 carries 220mm MO.1.01.04 series thermobaric rockets, which generate high temperatures and pressure upon detonation. Thermobaric warheads produce a secondary overpressure effect, making them effective against fortified positions and enclosed spaces. The system was designed to operate beyond the range of modern anti-tank guided missiles, with newer variants increasing the maximum range first to 10 km and later to 20 km.

Before its deployment in Ukraine, the TOS-2 was integrated into Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Protection troops, which operate thermobaric weapons. It was introduced with plans to replace the TOS-1 and TOS-1A, though those systems remain in service with ongoing modernization efforts. The TOS-2 also features an anti-drone cage over its launcher section to counter Ukrainian loitering munitions and drones.

The TOS-2 improves upon the TOS-1 and TOS-1A by utilizing a wheeled chassis instead of tracks, increasing mobility and reducing fuel consumption. It features an extended firing range of up to 20 km, an automated targeting system, and an integrated crane, eliminating the need for a separate transport-loading vehicle. The system incorporates protective measures against precision-guided weapons and includes an anti-drone cage to mitigate aerial threats. These improvements enhance its operational flexibility and reduce logistical constraints compared to its predecessors.

The TOS-2 carries 18 thermobaric rockets, and features an extended firing range of up to 20 km, an automated targeting system, and an integrated crane, eliminating the need for a separate transport-loading vehicle. (Picture source: Russian social media)