The Russian heavy flamethrower system (TOS) "Buratino" destroys the enemy using pressure drops and burns his positions with fire. The combat vehicle hits targets at a distance of up to 8 kilometers.
The system consists of a T-72 tank chassis, on which, instead of a turret, a launcher is located, designed for an ammunition load of 30 missiles (the first TOS models had 24 missiles). The launcher is located on a rotating platform. The salvo time does not exceed 7 seconds. Due to the tank chassis, the vehicle has increased maneuverability.
TOC shells can be called unique because they have a double effect: incendiary and thermobaric. They are not used on other systems. Inside the charge is a mixture of liquid and metals. When the shell of the rocket collapses, an aerosol cloud is created, which is then detonated. Immediately after the explosion, a thermobaric or "vacuum" effect occurs - a sharp decrease and then an increase in pressure.
The first combat use of the vehicle took place in Afghanistan, then much later - in Chechnya during the assault on the village of Komsomolskoye.
According to the military, for all its effectiveness, the car is poorly protected. TOS can be knocked out from a tank or a helicopter, so the time of the vehicle's stay at the firing point is minimal. She attacks and immediately leaves the front line under the cover of tanks.
The machine is produced in single copies and is not widely used. According to experts, this may be due to the fact that initially TPS was created for local conflicts. Today, the flamethrower system is not very effective due to the fact that it affects too large areas and losses among the civilian population are not excluded. On the other hand, during large-scale hostilities, the TOS is inferior to the Smerch multiple launch rocket system in range and power.
