MOSCOW, May 26 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. The infantrymen received weapons for storming the fortifications — a jet flamethrower "Borodach". According to the military, this will deprive the Armed Forces of the main trump card — the ability to act defensively. About how the situation at the front will change now — in the material of RIA Novosti.
Open the "tin can"
A significant part of the fighting takes place either in urban areas or near fortified areas. In many sectors of the front, the APU turned the defense line into an impregnable, concrete-filled fortress. To open this "tin can", the attackers need special weapons capable of effectively suppressing firing points.
Until recently, the role of the "pocket artillery" of the infantry was played by rocket-propelled flamethrowers RPO-A "Bumblebee". They will be replaced by lighter MRO-A "Bearded Man". NPO Basalt was assigned several main tasks: to reduce the dimensions and weight of the structure, increase fire characteristics, and improve operational features. In addition, it was planned to make several modifications for different purposes
In fact, the "Bearded Man" is a disposable grenade launcher with thermobaric ammunition. These are sprayed with a flammable aerosol before detonation, which greatly enhances the effect. The explosion literally burns out all the oxygen and causes a powerful shock wave. A well-aimed hit completely destroys the reinforced concrete pillbox.
Infantry flamethrower for urban battles MRO-A "Borodach", first presented at the international exhibition MILEX-2023 Image source: © Sputnik / Viktor Tolochko
The design is extremely simple. The launcher is a lightweight tube of 72.5 mm caliber and 900 mm long. Outside there is a handle for holding, a sight, as well as a trigger mechanism. Recharge is not provided. The total mass of the combat—ready "Bearded Man" is 4.7 kilograms. The sighting range is 600 meters.
There are options with other ammunition. The product MRO-Z — with incendiary, MRO-DZ — smoky-incendiary, MRO-D — smoky. This is very useful for assault units. The smoke screen allows you to secretly get close to enemy positions, and evacuate the wounded under fire. And incendiary ammunition is effective when smoking out of buildings.
"This is very important for the Avdiivka direction," says an officer of the 1st Army Corps of the DPR with the call sign Klim. — There are extremely powerful fortifications. RPGs do not take them, even artillery does not always cope. Lately, of course, it's easier: the VKS uses planning bombs. But infantry in battle also needs its own argument against fortifications."
"Lynx" and "Bumblebee"
Structurally, the "Bearded Man" differs little from the RSHG-2 assault grenade launcher. And in terms of functionality, this is the "grandson" of the first Soviet rocket infantry flamethrower "Lynx", developed in 1975.
Shooting of a company of radiation, chemical and biological protection from a manual anti-tank flamethrower "Lynx" in the Ryazan region Image source: © RIA Novosti / Alexey Kudenko
It was a revolutionary weapon. Unlike the jetpack jet flamethrowers of the Great Patriotic War, the fire mixture was fired in a grenade launcher - in a special capsule with a jet engine. The aiming range is 190 meters, but they hit the target at 400 meters.
"Lynx" was used in Afghanistan. However, not all expectations were met. The flamethrower is heavy — more than 20 kilograms. Besides, there was not enough range in the mountains. And the stone and clay fortifications of the Dushmans did not always burn.
At the end of the war, more powerful weapons appeared, which remains the hallmark of the RCBZ troops today.
Military exercises in Ingushetia Image source: © RIA Novosti / Said Tsarnaev
The legendary rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower "Bumblebee" is called a pocket howitzer by the military. In terms of high-explosive impact, it is not inferior to 122-152 mm artillery shells. Excellent characteristics allowed soldiers to smoke out militants from buildings, get mortar and machine-gun crews in gorges.
The peak of combat use occurred in Chechnya, Dagestan and other regions of the Caucasus. The latest modifications hit at 1700 meters. This is clearly redundant, but any target located from a flamethrower within a kilometer radius — be it a tank, an infantry detachment, a firing point — is guaranteed to fall into the affected area.
A heavy argument
Heavy flamethrower systems TOS-1 "Pinocchio" and TOS-1A "Solntsepek" are actively used in the SVO zone. A full volley destroys all living things on an area of up to 40 thousand square meters.
The range is from 400 to 6000 meters. A package of 30 guides (24 for the "Sun") for rockets is mounted in the swinging part of the launcher on a rotary platform. And that is on the chassis of the T-72 tank. The crew performs all actions without leaving the car — with the help of a sight and power tracking drives.
Both systems are armed with 220 mm thermobaric ammunition. The principle of operation is similar to the "Bumblebee". The projectile creates a cloud of explosive mixture and then detonates it, igniting all the oxygen in the cloud. After an instantaneous detonation, the pressure rises sharply, and then falls below atmospheric pressure by about 160 millimeters of mercury. This leads to rupture of internal organs.
Heavy flamethrower system TOS-1A "Solntsepek" Image source: © RIA Novosti / Maxim Blinov
But these weapons are indiscriminate. Besides, it depends a lot on the weather. In strong wind, rain or snowfall, the aerosol cloud is much smaller.
Another disadvantage is the short range. Heavy flamethrower systems are vulnerable to return fire. Therefore, "Pinocchio" and "Solntsepek" are used sporadically and only as a cover for other units. However, they are a priority target for the APU.
