A soldier's equipment for urban combat must combine minimum weight and dimensions with guaranteed destructive power. This is exactly what the Bumblebee infantry flamethrower turned out to be.

What is a flamethrower

Usually, when asked about “what a flamethrower looks like”, an image pops up in my head that is familiar from films about the war: a bulky container-cylinder with an incendiary mixture and a bell in the hands of a soldier pouring fire on everything that was not lucky enough to be in the affected area. But the subject of this article looks different and looks more like an RPG-18 - a compact disposable cylinder to which a belt, mechanical sight and trigger are attached.

The history of the creation of the flamethrower "Bumblebee"

The prerequisites for the creation of the RPO-A (a deep modification of the already existing "Lynx") was the specificity of the conduct of hostilities in the mountains of Afghanistan. Afghan fighters used the difficult landscape to their advantage: they arranged shelters and firing points in the folds of the terrain, mountain crevices and caves. The entire range of existing small arms and grenade launchers used by Soviet soldiers often could not help in "smoking out" the enemy from such places, and oncoming fire did not allow you to get close enough to throw hand grenades or fire from a backpack flamethrower.

The development of the Bumblebee begins in the Tula KBP in 1984. The previous RPO, for all its effectiveness, had a number of problems: more weight, a small radius of destruction, a low range of aimed fire and almost complete uselessness against armored targets. The new type of weapon surpassed the "Lynx" in all respects and was put into service in 1988. Among the soldiers who appreciated its striking and psychological effect, he receives the nickname "shaitan-pipe".

RPO design features

Structurally, the details of the "Bumblebee" are divided into three groups:

• All visible parts, collectively referred to as a container. In fact, this is a body, sights and triggers, two handles, as well as a belt and knots for connecting to a pack (two RPOs tied to each other for carrying behind the fighter’s back);
• Ammunition is a projectile that hits the target after being fired. It consists of a capsule with a fire mixture, a fuse and tablets of an igniter-explosive charge;
• An engine that gives acceleration to the ammunition. Separated from him after a shot in the barrel. The work is based on the ignition of powder gases. It consists of an igniter, a propellant charge and a chamber.

The principle of operation and the consequences of a flamethrower

Thermobaric munitions have not previously been used in infantry weapons, so "Bumblebee" can be called revolutionary in this way. The projectile is arranged as follows: in the front there is a shaped charge that penetrates the armor and walls of buildings. After the target is hit, a fuse is triggered on a capsule with a fire mixture, which forms an instantly exploding aerosol cloud, which is especially dangerous in enclosed spaces. So, according to the memoirs of Afghanistan veterans, a single shot from the "Bumblebee" is guaranteed to destroy all life in a two-story house, not to mention caves and improvised mountain shelters, against which it was originally developed. The power of the cumulative part of the projectile is about 2.5 kg of TNT, which makes the RPO-A even more related to grenade launchers and allows it to hit lightly armored vehicles.

Specifications

Given in comparison with the previous and subsequent RPO:

Advantages and disadvantages of a flamethrower

The uniqueness of this weapon makes it the subject of frequent discussions. Supporters and opponents make the following arguments:

• The advantages of the "Bumblebee" include exceptional striking ability, a firing range that is many times greater than backpack flamethrowers, variability for performing various tasks and effectiveness in defeating light armor;
• Of the negative aspects stand out: disposability, danger to the shooter (there were cases of detonation due to bullets or shrapnel hitting the container), excessive "inhumanity" - the possibility of defeat civilians or allied soldiers when used in urban combat.

In the meantime, disputes about the need or uselessness of this system in service with the Russian Federation have not subsided, technical thought has not stood still, and the ideological heirs of the Bumblebee appear.

RPO modifications and shells for RPO "Bumblebee"

To clarify, it is necessary to explain that the "Bumblebee" is a disposable weapon, and the letter after "RPO" means a type of completed projectile.

So, the first model had the following varieties:

The mass of ammunition is approximately four kilograms, and this is a third of the weight of the entire "Bumblebee".

Further work on it was carried out in two directions: on the one hand, an attempt to make the "Bumblebee" as compact and light as possible for the maneuverability of a soldier in urban combat while maintaining combat qualities, on the other, a more thoughtful and "complete" refinement of a jet flamethrower for the sake of a sample, comprehensively superior to both RPO-A and its analogues.

MRO

Modification, characterized by reduced weight, length and caliber - instead of 93 mm, a 72.5 mm projectile is used here. Structurally, it resembles the RPG-26 grenade launcher. Like the original, it exists in the configurations MPO-A (aerosol or thermobaric), MPO-Z (“classic incendiary” with a liquid flammable mixture) and MPO-D (smoke projectile).

RPO-M

Also known as Shmel-M, PDM-A. Here the letter M does not mean the type of ammunition, but "modified". In addition to reducing weight, the shooter can now carry three copies with him. A qualitatively new ammunition was developed (according to experts, in terms of power, close to a 152-mm artillery projectile) with a different composition of the aerosol mixture and a reinforced cumulative part. Carried out quality work above the ballistic component - the new projectile has greater range and accuracy, in addition, it is possible to use a removable sight (optical, night vision or thermal imager). The sight is removed from the container after the shot and can be installed on the next one without the need to zero in. It has been in service with the Russian army since 2004, according to unverified information, it was used during the conflict with Georgia.

RPV-16

Ukrainian analogue, relatively recently entered production. The design is almost identical to the RPO-A.

In addition to the flamethrower under discussion, thermobaric ammunition has been developed for the well-known RPG-7.

In addition to expressing opinions directly about the flamethrower, I propose to discuss in the comments whether such a development makes sense or is it an excess that is inferior to modern flamethrowers in performance characteristics?

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

DATA FOR 2014 (standard replenishment)
"Shmel" RPO-A / RPO-D / RPO-Z

Reactive infantry flamethrower disposable. Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering (KBP, Tula) was developed. Development started in 1984 (in 1976 according to other data). Military tests of the RPO-A took place in Afghanistan in 1983-1984. ( ist - Monetchikov). Adopted by the chemical defense troops of the USSR SA in 1988 (later became a combined arms type of weapon). The shot (capsule) is stabilized in flight by a drop-down stabilizer imparting rotation. After using the TPK flamethrower, it cannot be reloaded and is thrown away. By default, the data of the RPO-A flamethrower.

Calculation- 1 person (pack of 2 RPO)

guidance- diopter sight with reticle. Optical sight OPO / OPO-1 or night sight PON can be used.

TTX sight PON:
- weight of the sight - 1.5 kg
- supply voltage - 1.5 volts
- consumption current - 100 mA
- magnification - 4x
- angle of view - 8 degrees.
- target identification range - 300 m (person) / 500 m (equipment)

Starting device- TPK disposable- material - fiberglass on the frame. It is permissible to shoot from rooms with a volume of 60 cubic meters or more. (45 cubic meters according to the instructions). The simulator 9F700-2 is used for training. The use of a flamethrower is possible from a pack (2 pcs).
Danger zone when shooting - rear sector 110 degrees, distance 47 m (according to instructions)
It is forbidden to use a flamethrower in open areas:
- prone - at a distance of more than 200 m
- from the knee - at a distance of more than 400 m
- standing - with an elevation angle of more than 45 degrees.

TTX flamethrower:
Caliber - 93 mm
Length - 920 mm

Flamethrower weight - 11 kg / 12 kg (RPO-D and RPO-Z)
Shot weight - 6.5 kg (with engine)
Pack weight - 22 kg

Maximum firing range - 1000 m (1200 m according to other data)

Sighting range:
- diopter sight - 600 m
- OPO sight - 450 m
- sight OPO-1 - 850 m

Range of a direct shot at a target with a height of 3 m - 200 m
Minimum firing range - 25 m (20 m according to the instructions)
starting speed- 125 +- 5 m/s
Deviation - 0.7-1 m (at a distance of 200 m)

Transfer time to combat position - 30 sec
Temperature range of application - from -50 to +50 degrees C
Warranty period of storage - 10 years

Warhead types:
- RPO-A - explosive fuel-air mixture (thermobaric shot / volumetric explosion ammunition), burns without detonation, power is equivalent to a 122 mm howitzer high-explosive projectile (105 mm artillery shells according to the developer - KBP). In the bow of the charge is a small shaped charge to destroy barriers. Distinctive feature shot - two red stripes on the end cap of the flamethrower.
Temperature after detonation of the fire mixture - up to 800 degrees C
The volume of damage during an explosion indoors - 80 cubic meters (overpressure up to 4-7 kg / sq. cm)
The affected area in an open area is 50 sq.m (pressure discharge up to 0.4-0.8 kg / sq.cm within a radius of 5 m)
Capsule weight - 2.1 kg

RPO-D - a variant of equipping the "Bumblebee" flamethrower with a smoke shot. Smoke suspension is unbearable by personnel without gas masks. A distinctive feature of the shot is one red stripe on the end cap of the flamethrower.
Capsule weight - 2.3 kg
The length of the smoke strip is 55-90 m (depending on the wind, the existence time is 1.2-2 minutes)

RPO-Z - a variant of equipping the "Bumblebee" flamethrower with an incendiary shot. Causes fires in open areas of terrain and territories. A distinctive feature of the shot is one yellow stripe on the end cap of the flamethrower.
Capsule weight - 2.3 kg
The volume of combustion in the room - 90-100 cubic meters for 5-7 seconds
Burning area on the ground - 300 sq.m / 20 fires

RPO-A flamethrower with a shot (http://ru.wikipedia.org).

RPO-A device (http://bratishka.ru):

1 - transport and launch container		7 - trigger mechanism with safety lever
2 - thrust		8 - propelling charge / engine
3 - belt		9 - support glass
4 - diopter sight with reticle		10 - benchmark with folding plumage
5 - front sight sight		11- capsule
6 - front handle

RPO-A device (

The last decades have shown that in order to successfully conduct combat operations, infantry units do not have enough familiar small arms, they need a fundamentally new class of hand weapons. Already during the Second World War, the armies of some countries of the world received hand grenade launchers, which successfully performed the functions of light artillery, such as fighting enemy armored vehicles and fire support for an offensive during the assault on fortified points. Despite the imperfection of the first samples, they immediately proved their effectiveness.

Tasks of modern infantry

The increase in the role of each soldier in street fighting and the possibility of inflicting maximum damage on the enemy is ensured by the presence in his arsenal of a light, but very powerful weapon great destructive power. The Afghan war revealed the problems that combat units face when conducting active operations in mountainous areas. Any complex terrain with many folds, ruins, residential buildings, industrial buildings or specially built defense facilities with powerful defenses create serious difficulties for the advancing troops to advance. To overcome them, the Tula gunsmiths at the end of the eighties created the Shmel thermobaric grenade launcher.

The backpack-type flamethrower, previously used to suppress fortified points, did not fully meet the requirements for modern assault weapons.

Classic type flamethrower and its disadvantages

A conventional flamethrower is quite simple. On his back, the fighter is forced to carry a volumetric tank with a combustible mixture, in his hands he has a means of direct destruction, which is something like a hose with an igniter, these two main units are connected by a hose. The advantage of this weapon is its simplicity, the large possible area of ​​destruction and the strong psychological effect produced on the defenders, but there are also enough shortcomings. Firstly, it is not very convenient to attack with a heavy tank behind your back. Secondly, the distance of defeat is small, and in order to cause any significant damage to the enemy, you need to get close to him, and this is sometimes very difficult. The impressive size of the device makes it difficult to covertly approach. Thirdly, this weapon is dangerous not only for the enemy, but also for the flamethrower himself, since any damage to the tank or hose will cause spontaneous ignition of the combustible mixture and, as a result, a terrible and painful death. The Bumblebee is spared these design flaws.

A new type of flamethrower

In 1984, Soviet weapons developers received an order from the army for a new means of fire destruction of enemy manpower and equipment. The range of action should be at least half a kilometer. The power required is large, with the ability to suppress well-fortified targets. At the same time, the device must be made light, so that the soldier can not only walk with it, but run and climb mountains. In practice, a hand cannon weighing ten kilograms was needed.

It was difficult to complete such a technical task. But the Tula gunsmiths from the State Research and Production Enterprise "Basalt" worked and created the "Bumblebee". The flamethrower turned out great. Consider its main characteristics.

"Bumblebee": a flamethrower and its deadly flight

The flamethrower, nicknamed the “shaitan-pipe” by the internationalist soldiers, is similar in principle to a conventional rocket-propelled grenade launcher. The main difference is in the rocket projectile with which it is loaded. When it hits a target, the Bumblebee hand-held flamethrower not only generates an explosive wave and fragments, but creates a volumetric explosion on the principle of vacuum ammunition. This quality made it an indispensable means of fighting the Mujahideen hiding in crevices or under jacked-up rock layers. The Bumblebee rocket-propelled flamethrower is also suitable for destroying armored vehicles, the barothermal shock created during the explosion will disable the crew of an unpressurized tank or armored personnel carrier in an area of ​​50 square meters of open area with a total volume of guaranteed destruction of 80 cubic meters.

Tactical and technical data RPO-A "Bumblebee"

The flamethrower is most effective at a distance of 400 meters, but it is possible to shoot accurately at six hundred meters. The "bumblebee" is light and compact, it weighs 11 kg, which is quite a bit for a weapon of such destructive power, and is a cylindrical body 92 cm long and a decimeter in diameter with a protruding pistol grip and aim. Projectile caliber - 93 mm. A charge weighing 2 kg 100 g creates a volumetric explosion, which determines its high efficiency.

New "Bumblebee" RPO-PDM-A

No matter how good the "Bumblebee" is, the Tula specialists were able to improve it. The next modification received an additional RPO-PDM-A index (PDM means "increased range and power"). Now it strikes at 1.7 km with an effective aiming distance of 800 m. The mass of the charge has also been increased to 6 kg, and the flamethrower itself has become lighter, it weighs 8 kg 800g. He has one more feature, the new Shmel-M flamethrower is equipped with a removable control unit with an optical

Weight reduction was achieved through the use of composite materials, in particular, the launch tube is made of heavy-duty fiberglass. To protect the projectile from external influences and mechanical damage, rubber covers are used that fly off when it exits. The rocket is initiated by electronic system ignition. Another design feature is the integration of a solid fuel engine with a charging compartment.

"Bumblebees" for export

Unique weapons are one of the important items of Russian export, and there is nothing wrong with that. We will not sell - others will do it. It is all the more important to use The world has not yet created portable systems that could surpass the Shmel flamethrower in terms of thermobaric efficiency. Photos and videos sent by correspondents of news channels from the hot spots of the planet demonstrate the sad popularity of this weapon even in the most exotic countries. According to military experts, this small device can produce the same amount of destruction as a 155mm howitzer...

The flamethrower is designed to take out enemy manpower located both in open areas and in different kind structures, lightly armored and automotive vehicles, destruction of fortified buildings, ground or semi-buried structures made of stone, brick or concrete.

RPO PDM-A "Shmel-M" is a new generation of high-precision assault weapons that allows you to solve a wide range of fire support tasks in close combat. The flamethrower is easy to use.

RPO PDM-A - modernization of the high-performance jet infantry flamethrower "Bumblebee" providing:

• increasing the power of the warhead by 2 times;
• increase in firing range by 1.7 times;
• weight reduction by 1.3 times.

The flamethrower is always ready for immediate use. Differs in high reliability, allows to move mobilely on a cross-country terrain. During storage, the flamethrower is not subject to maintenance.

Device

• Container designed to fire a shot, direct the ammunition to the target and ensure the hermetic packaging of the shell with equipment and the engine. The container consists of a pipe with flanges, on it are placed: a trigger mechanism, an aiming device, a belt, knots for connecting to a pack (front and rear bandages).

• ammunition designed to hit the target. It is a feathered artillery shell that rotates in flight. The ammunition consists of a capsule filled with fire mixture, a fuse and a block of tablets of an igniter-explosive charge.

The shell with equipment is attached to the engine with a collet.

Engine designed to report the speed of the ammunition. Powder engine, separated from the ammunition in the barrel, with the expiration of part of the powder gases into the shell space of the barrel. It consists of a chamber, a propellant charge and an igniter.

Specifications

Video

The RPO-A 93mm rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower is an individual flamethrower weapon. It is designed to destroy enemy manpower located openly or located in long-term firing and other fortifications, as well as his military equipment and other objects.

Appointment and combat properties RPO flamethrower

Characteristics of the 93-mm rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower RPO-A (Bumblebee)

Maximum firing range - 1200 m

Sighting range - 600 m

Combat rate of fire 2 rounds per minute.

The initial flight speed of the ammunition - 130 m per second

Combat weight - 11 kg

Caliber - 93 mm

Flamethrower length - 920 mm

Application temperature from -50 to + 50 degrees

The given zone of destruction of an openly located manpower is 50 square meters.

Purpose of the 93-mm rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower RPO-A (Bumblebee)

The RPO-A 93mm rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower is an individual flamethrower weapon. It is designed to destroy enemy manpower located openly or located in long-term firing and other fortifications, as well as his military equipment and other objects.

The aiming range of a flamethrower with a diopter sight is 600 m, with an optical OPO - 450 m, OPO-1 - 850 m. The optical sight ensures successful firing at dusk, on a moonlit night and cloudy weather.

The RPO-A flamethrower is a one-time weapon, cannot be reloaded, and is discarded after use.

RPO-A flamethrowers proved to be very effective weapons for urban combat. They were used as follows: a group of infantrymen, by their actions, provoked the enemy to open fire. Another group with intense fire forbade the maneuver of the enemy (pressed to the floor), and the flamethrowers deployed at the advantageous line almost destroyed several firing points with one salvo.

The general device of the RPO-A flamethrower

The flamethrower consists of the following constituent parts: container, ammunition, collet and engine.

Container designed to fire a shot, direct the ammunition to the target and ensure the hermetic packaging of the shell with equipment and the engine.

Engine designed to report the speed of the ammunition. Powder engine, separated from the ammunition in the barrel, with the expiration of part of the powder gases into the projectile space.

ammunition designed to hit the target. It is a feathered artillery shell that rotates in flight. The ammunition has a capsule filled with fire mixture. The fire mixture is designed to hit the target.

When fired, the powder gases formed during the combustion of the propellant charge disperse the ammunition over the container by the pressure of the gases entering the projectile space. Part of the gases enters the gap between the shell and the container, balancing the pressure of the fire mixture that occurs during the shot on the walls of the shell. The front cover of the container is thrown off by the pressure of the air compressed between the shell and the cover, clearing the way for the ammunition to fly out. At the same time, powder gases, passing through the nozzle holes of the engine, throw back the liners that secure the engine from the container. When the ammunition leaves the barrel, under the action of elastic forces, the wings of the benchmark are straightened. When the ammunition meets the target, the impact mechanism of the fuse is triggered, causing the detonation of the igniter-explosive charge, the combustion products of which break the tube, the shell of the ammunition, ignite the fire mixture and scatter it on the target.

Parts and mechanisms of the RPO-A flamethrower

A flamethrower with proper care, proper storage and careful handling is a reliable and trouble-free weapon. However, as a result of careless handling of the flamethrower, contamination, as well as breakage of the firing mechanism, there may be delays in firing. In the event of a delay in firing, it is necessary to re-cock the firing mechanism and repeat the shot. If the shot did not occur during the re-arming, the flamethrower should be destroyed.

Safety measures when firing from an RPO flamethrower

1. Persons who have thoroughly studied its design and operating rules are allowed to fire from a flamethrower.

2. When the flamethrower is located in an open area near various solid barriers (walls, etc.), including objects military equipment located in the danger zone, the distance between the flamethrower and the barrier must be at least 3 m behind, at least 1 m on the side. When the flamethrower is located indoors, the distance between the flamethrower and the wall located behind must be at least 6 m. not less than 1m; The volume of the room must be at least 45 cubic meters.

3. When firing from a prone position, the legs and body of the flamethrower should be at an angle of 600 to the axis of the flamethrower.

4.When aiming, the eye of the flamethrower should

be pressed against the eyecup of the optical sight.

5. On flat terrain, with an unprepared position, it is prohibited to shoot from the following positions:

Lying at a distance of more than 200 m;

From the knee to a distance of more than 400 m.

- use a pack or a separate flamethrower as a means of protection from bullets and shrapnel

Shoot without making sure that there are no parts of the belt on the rear cut of the flamethrower;

Remove the trigger mechanism from the fuse until the target is detected;

Shoot at targets closer than 20 m.

There should be no obstacles in the zone up to 20 m;

Throw a flamethrower.

7. Carrying, loading and unloading of flamethrowers is carried out in compliance with safety precautions that exclude their fall. In case of an accidental fall of the flamethrower on the ground from a height of up to 0.5 m. And the absence of external damage, the flamethrower is allowed to be used. If the flamethrower is accidentally dropped from a height of 0.5 to 3 m. Its performance is not guaranteed. In case of an accidental fall from a height of more than 3 m, the flamethrower must be destroyed in the prescribed manner.

8. When shooting through any component of the flamethrower with a bullet or fragment, detonation does not occur. However, the flamethrower is dangerous due to the possibility of its ignition or operation.