The Russian military has lost another one of its terrifying thermobaric rocket launchers to a Ukrainian improvised suicide drone.
The targeted TOS-1A thermobaric rocket launcher, known as the Solntsepek or Sunshine, was captured on video moments before being struck by the first-person view (FPV) drone, resulting in a massive explosion and sending debris flying in all directions.
Reports from the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade confirm the destruction of the TOS-1A system after it was hit by multiple suicide drones, triggering fires and subsequent explosions, effectively neutralizing this formidable weapon.
The TOS-1A, an evolution of the Cold War-era TOS-1, entered service in 2001, boasting enhanced range and an upgraded ballistic computer. Mounted on a modified T-72 tank chassis, the system was originally designed to provide indirect fire support to advancing infantry and main battle tanks. Equipped with a rotating launch system capable of deploying up to 24 unguided thermobaric rockets in rapid succession, the TOS-1A packs a devastating punch.
ДРОНАМИ ЗНИЩЕНО ЧЕРГОВИЙ РОСІЙСЬКИЙ СОНЦЕПЬОК💥
Воїни 63 та 60 бригад підрозділів Moon Planet та Vidar спільно завдали по ворожій важкій вогнеметній системі кілька ударів, після чого мразота загорілась та почав детонувати її БК.
Перший дрон був із технологією донаведення.… pic.twitter.com/KTBnumMyXt
— Serhii Sternenko ✙ (@sternenko) April 2, 2024
These rockets utilize thermobaric, or fuel-air explosive, warheads, leveraging surrounding oxygen to generate high-temperature blasts. Often referred to as ‘vacuum bombs,’ they consist of a fuel container with two distinct explosive charges, amplifying their destructive capabilities.
