On November 13, the day of radiation, chemical and biological protection troops is celebrated annually in the Armed forces of the Russian Federation. By the end of 2025, the share of modern weapons in these troops should be 85%
Troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection (NBC) - special forces, the Land forces of the armed forces, which are tasked with the assessment of radiation, chemical and biological environment, the special treatment of troops, disinfection, special masking and flame-incendiary means to defeat the enemy.
They are able to solve problems both in wartime and in peacetime when dealing with the consequences of accidents and catastrophes. For example, in 2020, rcbz units are involved in the disinfection of civil and military infrastructure throughout the country as part of the fight against covid. According to the chief of troops, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, during this time, the military disinfected about 113 thousand objects with a total area of more than 25 million square meters, more than 200 aircraft and more than 19 thousand pieces of equipment. More than 10 thousand soldiers of the rcbz troops are now involved in the fight against coronavirus infection.
Military personnel also worked abroad, helping to fight the pandemic in Italy, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Abkhazia, Armenia, and South Ossetia. So, in Italy, they worked in one of the most affected areas of the coronavirus pandemic in the North of the country - in the city of Bergamo and its surroundings. Together with the Italian military, they carried out a complete disinfection of boarding houses for the elderly and other facilities in about 100 localities.
In April-may 2020, virologists of the RCMP troops were in Serbia, where, at the request of the local government, they disinfected infrastructure facilities and provided assistance to local doctors. Subsequently, President Alexander Vucic expressed gratitude to Vladimir Putin for the assistance provided by the combined unit of the Russian defense Ministry.
About the new technology
In recent years the army has received various modern weapons and means of protection: the machine radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance RHM-6, machine counter aerosol TDA-3, heavy flamethrower system on the crawler TOS-1A "Solntsepek" (in addition to standing on the arms of TOS-1 "Buratino"), upgraded jet infantry flamethrower PDM-a "Shmel-M", as well as modern military equipment - protective filter kits "Nerekhta" and the masks PMK-4.
Currently, the latest heavy flamethrower system on a wheeled chassis TOS-2 "Tosochka", first shown at the Victory day parade on June 24, is undergoing trial operation in the troops. It was first used during the main stage of the strategic exercise "Caucasus-2020" at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region. TOS-2 confirmed the requirements made to it.
According to Russian defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, this system, which has an increased range and power, will significantly increase the combat capabilities of groups of troops in strategic areas. TOS-2 is made on the basis of the Ural car with increased load capacity and cross-country capability, and has an increased launch range of unguided rockets. Aiming, shooting, and fire control are fully automated. In addition, it has a system of electronic protection against high-precision weapons.
Igor Kirillov, chief of the Russian armed forces, Lieutenant General
At the same time, industrial enterprises are working to modernize the existing TOS-1A to improve the safety of crews, increase the range and accuracy of fire, the power of ammunition, and reduce the time to prepare and complete tasks.
Another novelty for the troops is the RHM - 8 radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance vehicle, created on the basis of the Tiger armored car. It was first shown at the international forum "Army-2019". "The use of this machine will significantly speed up the conduct of RCB intelligence, collection, processing and transmission of data in real time to the command and control system, increase the efficiency, reliability and completeness of detecting the RCB situation, and the accuracy of forecasts," said the head of the troops Igor Kirillov.
In addition, research and development work is underway to create the main line of advanced weapons and means of RCB protection, including robotic systems (consisting of robotic and unmanned systems) and new-generation gas masks designed using unique membrane materials.
About the history of the troops
The chemical service of the Workers 'and peasants' red army (RKKA) was established by order of the revolutionary military Council of the Republic on November 13, 1918. By the end of the 1920s, units of the service appeared in all rifle and cavalry divisions and brigades of the red army. They were responsible for the use of chemical weapons and protection against them, as well as for the use of flamethrowers and smoke camouflage.
During the great Patriotic war, the Soviet troops had flamethrower-chemical battalions and companies, degassing companies, separate battalions, platoons and divisions of anti-chemical defense, ready for action in the event of the use of chemical weapons by the enemy. For exemplary execution of orders of the command during the war, 48 formations and units of the chemical troops were awarded military orders, 40 received honorary titles. 22 military chemists were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
In the post-war years in the Soviet army there were brigades and battalions of degassing of uniforms, equipment and terrain, separate battalions of chemical protection of divisions and regiments. The emergence of nuclear and biological weapons expanded the range of tasks of chemical troops. So, these troops participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster (1986), making up 44% of the 30-thousandth group of liquidators.
Also, since the 1970s, the rcbz troops have been receiving rocket-propelled flamethrower systems. They were involved in the conflicts in Afghanistan (1979-1989) and the North Caucasus region (1990-2000).
Today, cadres for the troops are prepared by the Military Academy of the Russian Academy of medical Sciences. Marshal of the Soviet Union S. K. Timoshenko in Kostroma. More than 1 thousand cadets are being trained there at the same time, about 800 of them are for the Russian armed forces, about 200 are future Russian civilian specialists and military specialists from foreign countries. In 2017, the Academy for the first time led to the military oath of female cadets. This year, 250 officers graduated, including ten representatives of foreign countries.
"The experience gained in the fight against COVID-2019 has already formed the basis for training cadets. <…> Changes have been made to educational programs and curricula of disciplines aimed at improving the quality of training on biological safety," Kirillov said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.
Training of Junior commanders and specialists is conducted in the 282nd Transylvanian red banner order of Alexander Nevsky training center of the rcbz troops.
Roman Azanov
The material was prepared according to " TASS-Dossier"