Smoke screens and means of setting them up in Special Operations
An assault unit of the Russian Airborne Forces fights under the cover of a smoke screen, March 2023.
Various methods of camouflaging the positions of troops, objects and units on the battlefield are known and used. One of the simplest is setting up a smoke screen - a cloud of dense aerosol in the air interferes with observation and firing, thereby reducing the risks for the covered troops. A variety of smoke emission means are actively used by the Russian armed forces during the current Special Operation to protect Donbass. With their help, it is possible to combat both surveillance and weapons systems of old classes and types, as well as new threats.
Manual remedy
The Russian army is armed with a number of types of smoke hand grenades and smoke bombs. These products differ in form factor and application features, the composition of pyrotechnic mixtures and the characteristics of the curtain formed, etc. At the same time, they all allow you to achieve the desired result - to create an opaque smoke cloud in the desired area in the minimum time.
Smoke grenades are widely used by our assault units. The installation of curtains is carried out both in open spaces and in urban areas or indoors - depending on the current needs. Using aerosols, they limit the enemy’s visibility and reduce his chances of successful resistance.
Fight in a smoky room
The Ministry of Defense and unofficial resources have repeatedly published materials about such battles. Thus, the videos shown allow us to evaluate what a problem smoke is for the enemy, and to understand why defense against an assault using them is particularly difficult.
"Cloud" for armored vehicles
Since the beginning of the eighties, all domestic armored fighting vehicles have been equipped with the 902 “Tucha” smoke grenade launch system. This system includes 81-mm smooth-bore grenade launchers and a set of standardized smoke grenades with different pyrotechnic compositions. Early ammunition provided only a smoke release, but recent developments provide protection against other detection/targeting means.
Using an electric trigger, grenades weighing approx. 2,3 kg are fired at a distance from 5-10 to 250-300 m, and after falling to the ground they begin to release thick dark smoke. The burning of the composition continues for at least 2 minutes, and during this time a curtain is created up to 30-40 m long and 5-8 m high, depending on the wind and other factors.
Smoke grenade launchers are actively used by the crews of our armored vehicles participating in the Special Operation. One of the original roles of the “902” product is to protect an armored vehicle from fire. If there are risks, the crew must fire a grenade in the direction of the threat and hide from it with smoke. This method of application makes it possible to protect against both traditional threats and weapons, as well as new ones, including UAVs of various types.
In February, the Ministry of Defense showed a video of one of the episodes of fighting in the South Donetsk direction, during which smoke screens were actively used. In this battle, infantry assault units in infantry fighting vehicles, supported by T-80BVM tanks, carried out an attack on enemy positions. This offensive was led by tanks - they covered the infantry fighting vehicles and fired suppression fire. At a distance of less than 100 m from the enemy, the tanks fired Cloud grenades, and the infantry dismounted under the cover of smoke.
Such an attack organization is completely justified. It allows you to solve the assigned combat mission, but at the same time sharply reduce the risks for people and equipment, and at the same time minimize possible losses. At the same time, the installation of smoke screens is of great importance in such events. It is they who, at the most crucial moment of the battle, hide our personnel from the enemy and do not allow the latter to take measures to repel the attack.
Smoke machine TDA-3 treats equipment with special chemicals during exercises
Smoke machines
The RCBZ troops have at their disposal more serious means of smoke emission - special smoke machines. These are self-propelled complexes equipped with high-performance curtain installation systems. Smoke machines can operate in one position for a long time and create large curtains that are impenetrable to view and technical means of observation.
The newest example of such equipment in the army is the TDA-3 product, accepted for supply in 2016. This smoke machine is built on a KamAZ chassis and carries a van with special equipment. The basis of the target equipment is the TA-6A gas turbine engine with a power of 320 hp. It drives a generator to supply on-board instruments, and also produces a stream of hot gases for thermal smoke equipment. The latter feeds liquid or powdery components into the jet stream, which evaporate / crush and are thrown out, forming a curtain. TDA-3 on one filling with components can create a curtain from 2 to 6 hours. In this case, depending on various factors, a smoke cloud up to several kilometers long is created.
The army regularly uses smoke machines at the front to provide cover for advancing troops. The Ministry of Defense has several times published spectacular footage of the operation of such equipment, incl. shooting from the air. In all cases, the machines are used as a group and the curtains are placed synchronously. Clouds of smoke spread with the wind and cover large areas. At the same time, the enemy loses the opportunity to observe the actions and movements of our units - with understandable tactical consequences.
Smoke exhaust under frontal conditions, April 2024.
It is curious that not everyone expected the use of smoke screens of this kind. Thus, over the past months, complaints about similar means of the Russian army have repeatedly appeared in the foreign press. Suddenly, foreign “experts” learned about their presence, and also found out that aerosols interfere with observation and also make reconnaissance UAVs useless. At the same time, simple and effective solutions to this problem are simply not available and are not in sight.
Strategic objectives
Last year, Ukrainian formations tried several times to attack the Crimean Bridge - to disrupt Russian military logistics and for a loud “victory.” Almost all such attacks failed due to the protective measures taken by the Russian armed forces and security forces.
In the summer of 2023, during another Ukrainian attack, it became known that smoke screens, along with other means, were used to protect the bridge. Clouds of smoke appeared along the structure and covered almost all of its structures. It is unknown exactly how such curtains were installed. Probably, smoke machines of the RKhBZ troops with high smoke emission parameters were used. Subsequently, such means were used again.
The result of several smoke machines, April 2024.
It is not difficult to understand what problem the smoke screens solved. They prevented the enemy from using optical-electronic detection and guidance systems on UAVs and unmanned boats. At the same time, electronic warfare equipment suppressed satellite navigation and radio channels for controlling strike equipment. It was an integrated approach using fundamentally different means of protection and camouflage that ensured the preservation of a strategically important facility.
Topicals
Thus, despite the development of surveillance and detection means, the introduction of new types of equipment, etc., smoke screens remain a simple, convenient and effective method of camouflage. Moreover, pyrotechnic compositions and curtain installation systems are constantly being improved and level out progress in the field of surveillance and reconnaissance. Smoke grenades and other late-model products can hide troops from detection at different ranges.
The potential of smoke camouflage is clearly demonstrated during the current Special Operation to protect Donbass. Existing and new smoke exhaust systems, etc. help our troops solve assigned tasks with minimal risks and prevent enemy formations from counteracting them. Despite the auxiliary function, smoke grenades, special equipment, etc. make an important contribution to the overall results.
Information