Russian industry upgrades TOS-1A tracked heavy flamethrowers.

Industrial enterprises are upgrading heavy TOS-1A flamethrowers : “The upgraded combat vehicles are better protected against tank fire, have a higher range and fire precision, as well as destruction space by one projectile”, the Russian Defense Ministry said. New unguided rocket-propelled projectiles and modern sights decrease the consumption of munitions and the time of the mission.
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TOS-1A Heavy Flamethrower (Picture source: Army Recognition)

It is reported that the Central Military District would receive new TOS-1A projectiles with a 1.5-2.5-times longer range. They can destroy targets from a safe distance from the adversary, thus increasing survivability and decreasing the chance of retaliation. In July 2020, Rosoboronexport and Omsktransmash demonstrates TOS-1A to foreign customers at Staratel range in Nizhny Tagil.

TOS-1A weighs 44.3 tons and has a crew of three men. It carries a package of 24 tubes. Minimal fire range is 400 meters and maximum — 6000 meters. The time of a full salvo is 6 seconds. The munition is an unguided missile with incendiary or thermobaric warhead. The mixture creates an aerosol cloud which triggers fuel and air explosion. TOS-1A is specifically effective in mountains and fortifications.

TOS-1A Heavy Flamethrower (Picture source: Army Recognition)

 TOS-1 Heavy Flamethrower System is a Soviet-era 220mm 30-barrel (original system: Ob.634 or TOS-1M) or 24-barrel (Ob.634B or TOS-1A) multiple rocket launcher and thermobaric weapon mounted on a T-72 tank chassis. TOS-1 was designed for defeating enemy personnel in fortifications, in open country, and in lightly armoured vehicles and transport. First combat tests took place in 1988–1989 in the Panjshir Valley during the Soviet–Afghan War. The TOS-1 was shown for the first time in public in 1999 in Omsk. TOS-1 is not assigned to the artillery units of the Russian Armed Forces but is found in Russian NBC Protection Troops. That is why it does not have a GRAU index, but rather an RKhBZ index—МO.1.01.00.

In 2003, the improved TOS-1A system entered service. The improved system's range has been extended to 6 kilometers and its ballistic computer has been upgraded. The nickname "Buratino" originates with the name of the hero of a Russian retelling of the Pinocchio tale (by Alexey Tolstoy), given the perception of the big "nose" of the launcher.

In 2018, Russian NBC Protection Troops received 30 TOS-1A Solntsepyok (Sunburn) 220 mm multiple rocket launchers.

In March 2020, Russia introduced a new rocket for the TOS-1A with a range of 10 km, achieved in part by weight and size reductions of a new fuel air explosive mixture in the warhead, while also increasing the power of the warhead. However, minimum range is extended from 400 m to 1.6 km, so the shorter-range M0.1.01.04M rocket will be retained for close combat environments.

Saudi Arabian Military Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rosoboronexport for the local production of the TOS-1A.

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