All articles tagged with #thermobaric
Ukraine's military intelligence says Russia has developed a Geran-2 drone variant that carries a Verba MANPADS and a thermobaric warhead, enabling it to strike both aerial and ground targets in a single mission.
Russia has developed a new military tactic involving the use of swarms of decoy drones to mask a smaller number of highly destructive thermobaric drones targeting Ukraine. This strategy, known as Operation False Target, aims to deplete Ukraine's air defense resources by forcing them to engage with the decoys. The drones are produced in Russia's Alabuga Special Economic Zone, with unarmed decoys making up a significant portion of the output. Despite most drones being intercepted, the sheer volume allows some to penetrate defenses, causing significant damage.
Russia's paratroopers are being equipped with TOS-1A thermobaric multiple launch rocket systems, which are mounted onto tanks and designated as "heavy flamethrowers." The weapon is more powerful than conventional explosives and is particularly effective at targeting trenches. The move suggests Russia wants its airborne force to play a larger role in any new offensive in Ukraine and is likely part of efforts to reconstitute the force after it suffered heavy casualties in the first nine months of the war.