Rosoboronexport together with Omsktransmash have held a demonstration for a number of foreign customers of the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system, said the press office of Rosoboronexport today.
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"The TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system is unique to the world arms market, the only deadly short-range fire support weapon in the world. Such equipment is not produced anywhere in the world except Russia, and we are proud to show it to our foreign partners. The system has repeatedly shown its impressive capabilities to destroy well-protected terrorist groups in real combat conditions in the Middle East. Owing to its unrivalled performance, the TOS-1A has held steady in the Top 5 weapons supplied by Rosoboronexport to customers’ land forces,” said Rosoboronexport’s Director General Alexander Mikheev.
Alexander Potapov, Director General of JSC Uralvagonzavod Concern added that "the TOS-1A showed its best performance and high fire efficiency at the test site. Its effectiveness and firepower have been long recognized all over the world. It is a unique R&D product in terms of the technical solutions applied and combat effectiveness.”
The TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system is in service with the Russian Army, as well as Algeria, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
The press release published today adds that "unlike all currently existing multiple rocket launchers (MRL), only the BM-1 launch vehicle of the TOS-1A system, having MBT-level armor and a minimum firing range of 600 m (maximum range of 6 km), can perform the necessary combat missions on the forward edge of the battle area (FEBA) in a very short time frame, while remaining practically invulnerable. This is a deadly, time-tested and unrivalled flamethrower system whose high reliability has been proven more than once."
Furthermore, "The TOS-1A operates within the combat formation of troops, which reduces the targeting time and increases the efficiency of fire control. These systems are capable of delivering both indirect and direct fire on visible targets almost immediately after their detection."
"The tank chassis provides tactical mobility and a high level of crew protection, and also makes it possible to quickly move to the required firing position and operate in the zone of direct fire contact with the enemy, which no artillery system can do," said Igor Lobov, Director General of Omsktransmash, the TOS-1A developer and manufacturer.
The BM-1 launch vehicle is a 220 mm 24-barrel launcher mounted on a tracked chassis. It fires unguided rockets developed by Ganichev NPO SPLAV. The rockets are equipped with a thermobaric warhead capable of engaging heavily protected enemy positions, including fortifications, with minimal means. A full salvo, lasting just a few seconds, is capable of destroying enemy forces over an area of 40,000 square meters.
