RKhBZ troops will receive their own drone bombers
A fighter with an RPO-A flamethrower. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
The radiation, chemical and biological defense forces of the Russian army are armed with various systems and complexes with flamethrower-incendiary and thermobaric ammunition. The first unmanned aerial vehicles should arrive in the units in the near future. aviation complexes with such equipment. Several types of aerial platforms will need to improve the efficiency of using existing and future ammunition.
Fire from the air
Plans to create new air-launched flamethrower systems became known two years ago. A new project of this kind was mentioned in November 2021 in an interview for the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper by the head of the RKhBZ troops, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov. According to him, at that time the development of the promising RPO-2 infantry flamethrower was underway, and they planned to give it new capabilities.
In particular, the possibility of placing a flamethrower system on an unmanned aerial platform was explored. Such a complex could include two UAVs at once - one was supposed to be the carrier of the flamethrower itself, and the other was supposed to carry reconnaissance and sighting equipment.
No technical details of such a project were provided in 2021. In the future, no new information was received about him either. Nevertheless, as it has now become known, work in this direction continued, and now the first results have been obtained.
RPO-M product and its ammunition (left. Photo Wikimedia Commons
Promising ruler
On November 27, the Izvestia publication spoke about the current state of affairs in the development of UAVs for the RCBZ troops. From its sources in the Ministry of Defense, it learned that work in this direction is not only continuing, but also expanding. In the near future the process of creating new drones will reach the next stage.
Izvestia’s source in the Ministry of Defense reported that several UAVs of various kinds are being created at once for the NBC protection troops. To solve different problems, it is planned to use aircraft and helicopter-type devices with different equipment and different payloads. However, the number of such projects is not specified.
Two types of weapons are offered for new drones. The first is incendiary and thermobaric ammunition of suitable types and calibers. The UAVs will carry and drop them using appropriate devices. In addition, they will have the ability to carry and use infantry hand flamethrowers.
It is reported that the projects have progressed quite far, and some of them are already ready to enter the stage of trial operation in the army. The experimental products are planned to be sent to the NBC protection units in the very near future. Later they should be followed by UAVs of the following models, still in previous stages of development.
RG-60TB thermobaric hand grenade. Photo "Rosoboronexport"
It is not yet known how soon drones with flamethrower weapons will be able to pass all the necessary checks and other procedures and enter service. Perhaps this and other information about the new line of unmanned systems will be published in the future, as work continues and new results are obtained.
Technical issues
According to published information, several unmanned strike systems with thermobaric and flamethrower ammunition have been developed for the defense forces. How exactly and on what elements they were built is not reported. There is also no information about their capabilities and characteristics. However, even the available information allows us to imagine ways and options for solving the assigned engineering problems.
It is alleged that the new family includes several UAVs of different types and classes, but their types are not specified. It is possible that ready-made unmanned platforms of common models are used. It is also impossible to exclude the creation of specialized modifications or new devices that initially meet customer requirements.
Apparently, we are talking about devices of a medium class in size and weight. This is indicated by the mention of the possibility of equipping UAVs with jet flamethrowers - such products are quite large and heavy by the standards of unmanned aircraft. Thus, the domestic infantry flamethrower RPO-M "Shmel-M" with a caliber of 90 mm has a length of 940 mm and a weight of 8,8 kg. Not just any unmanned platform will be able to pick it up and use it effectively.
Use of the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system as part of a Special Operation. Photo by the Russian Ministry of Defense
However, in production and in service with the Russian army there are UAVs capable of lifting one or two flamethrowers, and along with them optical means for searching for targets and targeting. In this case, it is fundamentally possible to use flamethrowers as forward weapons or to use certain suspensions and guidance mechanisms.
It is reported that the new UAVs will not only be able to fire flamethrowers, but also perform the functions of light bombers. To do this, they require special thermobaric or incendiary ammunition. Such products could be developed from scratch specifically for new systems or made based on available samples.
The domestic industry offers a range of incendiary and volumetric detonating ammunition of different classes. Various products have been developed, produced and put into service, from hand grenades and rounds for rocket-propelled grenade launchers to warheads for MLRS/TOS and aerial bombs. Some of these products can be adapted for use by light and medium UAVs. The only question is the methods of such transformation and their complexity. In this case, the recent experience gained in converting ready-made ammunition into ultra-light “air bombs” for drones can be used.
General Features
The purpose and strengths of volumetric detonating and incendiary munitions are well known. They are designed to combat manpower and unprotected equipment in open areas or in light shelters. Incendiary ammunition causes flammable materials to ignite, and the fire then damages the enemy. The thermobaric warhead, in turn, creates a shock wave of a characteristic configuration in a certain volume, destroying various objects.
Detonation of TOS-1A rockets. Photo of NPK "Uralvagonzavod"
Warheads of such classes can have different dimensions, weight and power, and can also be used as part of different ammunition for various systems and complexes. According to the latest news, now several types of light and/or medium-class UAVs will become their regular carriers. This equipment is intended for the RCBZ troops and will expand their combat capabilities.
The proposed family of UAVs with flamethrower-incendiary and volumetric-detonating weapons should have several obvious advantages. The use of unmanned carrier platforms will to a certain extent simplify and speed up the delivery of ammunition to enemy targets and positions. UAVs differ favorably from ground-based systems by their greater mobility and maneuverability.
The presence of several different UAVs and ammunition will make the new complex flexible and effective. Depending on the nature of the task, characteristics of the target, etc., the operator will be able to select the carrier and weapon for him and get the best result.
Mastering technology
Thus, the Russian army continues to develop and master modern technologies and equipment, as well as look for new ways to use them. In particular, a variety of light and medium-class UAVs capable of carrying and dropping various ammunition have become widespread. They have some limitations, but overall they have performed well.
Now similar equipment, armed with ultra-light bombs and rocket-propelled flamethrowers, is proposed to be used in the RCBZ troops. In this case, we are talking about the development of such unmanned systems according to the technical specifications and requirements of the troops. It is obvious that this approach will not only allow troops to be equipped with the equipment they need, but also to obtain the maximum results achievable under the existing conditions.
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