Feel the ‘Sun Heat’: WATCH Russia’s fearsome heavy thermobaric flamethrower system in action

Russia’s Defense Ministry released a rare video of TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems fired during military drills. The fearsome weapon packs 24 thermobaric missiles, capable of obliterating everything within 40,000 square meters.

The TOS-1A systems made a rare appearance during a military exercise in Russia’s Leningrad region. Footage of the drills, released by the Russian military on Tuesday, shows the systems moving towards their positions, getting loaded, and ultimately unleashing their thermobaric might on the mock targets.

The TOS-1A systems are also known under a rather grim-humored, yet very fitting nickname ‘Solntsepyok’ — the ‘Sun Heat.’ While the systems are designated as “heavy flamethrowers” in Russia, they are basically multiple rocket launchers, fitted with 220mm unguided thermobaric rockets and mounted on the chassis of a T-72 main battle tank.

A full package, launched by a single TOS-1A, is capable of obliterating enemy personnel, hardware and almost any fortifications within an area equal to around six football pitches — up to 40,000 square meters (some 430,500 square feet). Its range, however, is quite modest — with the latest iteration of its rocket, Solntsepyok is capable of striking targets up to 6 km away.

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