Military expert Leonkov: the range can be increased in the new TOS-3 "Dragon"
The range of the TOS-3 Dragon can be increased, military expert Alexei Leonkov believes. He spoke about the features of the new Russian flamethrower system, which scared the Western press, in an interview with <url>.
Earlier, Die Welt described the prototype of the TOS-3 Dragon flamethrower system that appeared as a "terrible" breakthrough weapon. The publication notes that even bunkers are not able to resist it, and one volley can turn several city blocks into ruins at once.
The tactical and technical characteristics of the prototype will change in the future and are not particularly disseminated about them, because the less the enemy knows, the better, Leonkov noted. However, it should be understood that the CBT-3 is created based on the results of work in the zone of a special military operation (SVO) of other heavy flamethrower systems — CBT-1 and CBT-2 Tosochka, which showed themselves to be rated "excellent", the interlocutor of <url> added. Their range of application is 6-10 kilometers, and they differ in that the warhead of the TOS-1 is larger than that of the TOS-2, and one moves on a tracked chassis, and the other on wheels, he said.
According to the expert, initially these systems were intended to burn out the area where biological or chemical weapons were used. "It turned out that in combat operations, especially when it is used on enemy fortifications, the effect is about the same, that is, roasting strongpoints and fortified areas with such heavy flamethrower systems has fully justified itself," the specialist shared.
Alexey Leonkov
military expert
"Such systems should work in tandem with intelligence complexes — for example, unmanned ones. Thus, a reconnaissance and firing contour is created, that is, the drone identifies the target and a heavy flamethrower system strikes it with high accuracy. But we need to work not only on the drone itself, so that it accurately gives out coordinates, but also on the system itself. There is such an automated guidance and targeting control system. If such a system is installed on this CBT-3 and the thermobaric charges themselves are worked out, we will get a really formidable weapon that the enemy will need to fear," Leonkov concluded.
Earlier, the publication "Army Standard" reported that the "Dragon" will probably be able to work without a transport-charging machine, which will increase the effectiveness of its use. In addition, a decrease in the number of projectiles with a thermobaric or incendiary warhead in the combat module will lead to an increase in their power and range of use.
