Russian weapon from hell obliterated by Ukrainian drone pilot
The pilot of a Ukrainian FPV drone spotted the terrifying TOS-1A system, which immediately became a priority target. The launcher appeared to be fully loaded and en route to a firing position, as the hit caused a powerful explosion, destroying everything in the vicinity. Here, we present the performance of the TOS-1A system.
8:31 PM EDT, July 13, 2024
A Ukrainian FPV drone pilot serving in the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade managed to destroy a powerful Russian TOS-1A system, often called "a weapon from hell," before it could cause agonizing deaths of Ukrainian soldiers. As seen in the video below, the drone's hit on the launcher ignited one or several rockets, triggering a chain reaction resulting in a powerful explosion.
TOS-1A - nothing survives where it hits
Before the war, the Russians had around 50 systems, of which at least 28 had been lost, according to photos or videos from attacks. However, seeing the effectiveness of this weapon, the Russians resumed and then increased its production, which most likely helped recover some of the losses.
The TOS-1A systems, which Russia incorporated into its arsenal during the intervention in Afghanistan, are particularly effective against enemies hiding in fortifications or urban buildings using thermobaric charges.
The central element of this system is a launcher housing 24 unguided rockets with a caliber of 8.66 inches, mounted on a T-72 tank chassis. Each rocket contains as much as 99 pounds of thermobaric material, making their destructive force immense and protection against them extremely difficult.
Thermobaric charges differ from conventional ones in that they do not contain oxygen in their structure, allowing for more active substances at the same mass compared to classic explosives. Oxygen is still needed for combustion, which is drawn from the atmosphere in the case of thermobaric charges. This also causes a vacuum to form at the site of the explosion.
This leads to fatal consequences because, apart from the standard shock wave spreading outward, there is also a rebound wave caused by the vacuum. The pressure differences cause pressure jumps on the order of hundreds of kg/cm² (thousands of psi), which can damage even airplane hulls and, more so, soft tissues like lungs.
These are destroyed, but the brain, well-protected by the skull, keeps working, making the death caused by thermobaric weapons exceptionally painful. In addition to pressure jumps and oxygen depletion, there is an increase in temperature to about 5,432 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to the vaporization of all life at the epicenter of the explosion.
Thus, thermobaric weapons are sometimes called the "poor man's nuclear weapon" because the scale of destruction is comparable, without radiation and with a very limited range. Their lethal effects are particularly intense in confined spaces where shock waves can resonate.
The explosion of thermobaric warheads occurs in two stages: first, the thermobaric charge is dispersed as an aerosol, and then a delayed fuse initiates the ignition of the formed mixture.
An advantage for the Ukrainians is that the TOS-1A systems have a limited maximum range of 4 miles, and their accuracy is lacking due to the use of unguided rockets. The short range and difficult-to-conceal silhouette make the TOS-1A systems an easy target for drones or anti-tank missiles like Stugna-P or Brimstone.
