Ammunition of increased power "Hammer": for the destruction of buildings and strongholds on the front line
The conduct of a special military operation (SVO) by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (RF Armed Forces) made us look at many things differently. As can be seen from the reports of military correspondents, often hostilities are waged for weeks on the same building, which will eventually be destroyed to such a state that it will no longer be possible to use it for civilian needs. At the same time, it is either impossible or extremely difficult to completely destroy this building in order to instantly destroy the enemy defenses in this area.
This slows down the pace of offensive operations and leads to unjustified losses on our part. Accordingly, it is necessary to find a way to significantly increase the speed and efficiency of disabling the enemy's defensive lines, equipped in buildings and structures. However, it is quite difficult to do this with existing weapons.
How can you completely destroy a massive capital structure?
Compromise solutions
With the help of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS)? But one or more MLRS shells will not destroy a building, and more hits with unguided rockets are difficult to achieve, in addition, some shells that deviate from the target can pose a threat to friendly troops.
Artillery? But its capabilities when firing conventional shells are also limited - it is necessary to aim, and then for some time to conduct concentrated fire on one building. Under existing conditions, one can easily become a target for counter-battery weapons oneself.
Use precision-guided munitions? Their number is limited, and the cost is too high in order to use them to destroy buildings and structures.
Aviation? Of course, some high-rise building, most likely, will be completely destroyed by several corrected aerial bombs of the KAB-1500 type or one FAB-3000, but these ammunition are expensive, their use requires the carrier to approach at a sufficiently high altitude directly to the front line, where it can become a prey for funds air defense (air defense) of the enemy. In addition, the FAB-3000 air bomb still needs to be hit, since it is uncontrollable. The effectiveness of the interaction between the Russian Air Force (VVS) and the Ground Forces (SV) remains in question, it is unlikely that we have already implemented the principles of building multi-domain forces, that is, deep horizontal connections directly between air and ground combat units.
Funnel from the FAB-3000 bomb
Maybe short-range weapons will help?
Potentially, a tank can bring down a multi-storey building, the problem is that the tank “does not lay down” the target with one shot. In the meantime, the tank will work on the building, they can work on it with a grenade launcher, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - kamikaze.
Hypothetically, the most effective means for destroying buildings and structures are the TOS-1A Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower system or the new TOS-2 Tosochka wheeled combat vehicle. Based on open data, TOS show very good results in the destruction of enemy strongholds, however, there is no information confirming that TOS can “fold” a multi-storey building. This is especially true for industrial structures, which are much more resistant to external influences.
It can be assumed that this will require shooting the entire package of TOS-1A / TOS-2 ammunition into the building, and this will have to be done from a short distance, since the TOS projectiles are unguided and are intended for firing at areas. Accordingly, at close range, TOS-1TA / TOS-2 can be destroyed, both with the help of grenade launchers, ATGMs or kamikaze UAVs, and with the help of heavy machine guns and rifles, since compared to the tower tank the TOS-1A guide package is much less protected, and the TOS-2 is completely made on the basis of a lightly armored wheeled vehicle.
Work TOS-1A
Thus, there is an objective need to create special conventional munitions of increased power (BPM) designed for the rapid, highly effective destruction of multi-storey buildings, industrial facilities, fortified strongholds, as well as the manpower located in them.
Conventional ammunition of increased power
The topic of the need and possible ways to create ammunition of increased power has been raised by the author more than once.
For example, in the material "Aircraft projectile" of the XXI century we talked about the possibility of creating a cruise missile (CR) or, rather, a kamikaze UAV of increased power on the basis of civil and transport aircraft that have served their purpose.
In the media, you can sometimes see the shops of the enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, struck by the Caliber missile system or the Iskander operational-tactical missile systems - despite severe damage, often the equipment remains intact (at least partially), it can be restored and transferred production in other premises. The same applies to the facilities of the Ukrainian fuel and energy complex - they can often be restored after being struck.
After the impact of an aircraft projectile carrying about 20-40 tons of explosive, there will be nothing to restore. Moreover, when it comes to the destruction of bridges across the Dnieper, which would allow denazification of half of Ukraine before the end of 2022, opinions are often expressed that this can be done without the use of tactical nuclear weapons impossible - they say, these structures were built too reliably in the USSR, however, a projectile carrying 20-40 tons of explosives could well provide this.
An even more radical type of weaponry can be considered unmanned vessels - obsolete transport vessels or submarines destined for decommissioning, equipped with remote / autonomous control systems and loaded with explosives. We considered their transformation into a powerful weapon in the materials Operation "Baltic Ballet" и AUV "Dagon" - non-nuclear heir to "Poseidon", the destroyer of naval bases and coastal infrastructure.
The most powerful non-nuclear explosion equivalent to 2,9 kilotons, loaded with TNT, pyroxylin and picric acid of the French military transport "Mont Blanc", which occurred on December 6, 1917 in the harbor of the Canadian city of Halifax, as a result of which the port and urban area of Richmond were completely destroyed, due to the collapse buildings, fires and a wave eighteen meters high, about two thousand people died, another nine thousand people were injured - such can be the power of conventional ammunition
Echoes of the implementation of this concept are visible in the use of a crewless boat used to undermine the bridge piers in the urban-type settlement of Zatoka, Odessa region. However, there the power of the explosion, apparently, was relatively small. The explosion of a kamikaze ship turned into a weapon of increased power can be compared with the explosion of a tactical nuclear charge - in this case, nothing would be left of the bridge at all.
Undermining the bridge support in Zatoka by a crewless boat
Another example of the use of increased power ammunition is the transformation by Russian fighters of an MTLB light armored tractor into a kamikaze armored vehicle and the destruction of an enemy stronghold with its help.
Russian fighters placed several OFAB-100-120 air bombs and a cable with TNT from the UR-77 Zmey Gorynych demining device in the MTLB - in total they got about a ton of explosives. Then the MTLB without a crew was sent to the enemy’s stronghold and was remotely blown up at the moment when the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) approached it. According to various sources, from 60 to 100 enemy fighters were destroyed. According to some reports, MTLB kamikazes have been used by Russian troops several times already.
MTLB-kamikaze - a harsh but forced decision
Of course, using the MTLB in this way is not a very prudent approach, but it clearly demonstrates both the need and the effectiveness of increased power ammunition.
In order not to shoot at the enemy with lightly armored tractors, it is necessary to develop a special ammunition, more precisely, a complex that includes ammunition and a combat vehicle designed to transport and launch it. Let's call it conditionally a complex for the destruction of buildings, structures and strongholds of the enemy "Hammer".
"Hammer"
Structurally, the Molot complex should be close to the TOS-2 Tosochka, but with a number of significant differences.
The firing range of the Molot complex should be about five kilometers, this is necessary in order to maximize the mass of the warhead, but, on the other hand, to get it out of the fire of grenade launchers and small arms of the enemy.
Instead of a package of dozens of guides, the Hammer complex will contain 1-2 ammunition with a warhead weighing about 1 ton or more. The number of ammunition and the mass of the warhead must be determined from the test results.
The alleged appearance of the Hammer complex without a camouflage frame
It is possible that the optimal solution would be the consistent use of two ammunition, one with a thermobaric warhead, the second with a high-explosive warhead. First, thermobaric ammunition should be used, which ensures maximum damage to manpower in the shelter it occupies, and the second - with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, should cause maximum destruction to the attacked structure. And it is possible that the best solution would be to use a single ammunition with the maximum possible mass of a high-explosive warhead.
And this is how the Hammer complex should look like in the stowed position
Ammunition of increased power of the Molot complex should be equipped with a guidance system - something simple used in existing Russian ATGMs, for example, a "laser trail" or even wire control.
Presumably, the Molot complex should be placed on a wheeled chassis, since it provides greater mobility - it is simply dangerous to keep ammunition of such power at the forefront - it is easy to imagine what will happen if it is attacked by a kamikaze UAV at the moment when the Molot is located next to your troops. The Hammer complex should quickly move out of the rear, strike and immediately leave. The best solution would be to disguise the Molot complex as a covered truck. The body on top of the ammunition must have at least anti-bullet / anti-fragmentation protection, since the consequences of its detonation near friendly troops can be tragic.
Conclusions
Ammunition of increased power is vital for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - this is clearly shown by the experience of conducting a military defense in Ukraine. It is necessary to implement the development of ammunition of increased power of various classes, for example, an infantry fighting vehicle based on a transport ship carrying an explosive charge that can wipe out an entire coastal city from the face of the earth, or an outdated diesel-electric submarine turned into an autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle (AUV) - kamikaze, or a transport aircraft ready for decommissioning, which can be turned into a cruise missile with a high-yield warhead - Western leasing companies want their aircraft back, so maybe it's time to listen to them?
The concept of the Molot complex, designed for the use of increased power ammunition at close range, stands apart. On the one hand, this increases the risks, both for the complex itself and for those who may be near it at the time of an enemy attack. On the other hand, the use of the Hammer complex will have a monstrous psychological effect.
Strike - and there is no building, there are no survivors either. Another blow, and again: there is no building, there are no survivors either. Death without options, without chance. What will it be like to defend positions for those who take up defensive positions in the next building?
The Molot complex should have a relatively low cost, since it will not contain high-tech solutions - satellite communications and navigation, thermal imagers, expensive turbojet engines to ensure long range and flight speed, terrain correction systems, ring laser gyroscopes and other high-tech components.
Thus, the Molot complex can become a relatively simple and inexpensive means of breaking into the defensive positions of the enemy, both during the NMD and in future military conflicts. With the help of the Molot complex, it is possible to “gnaw through” enemy fortifications in the shortest possible time, seizing the initiative and ensuring the access of the RF Armed Forces to the operational space.
Information