What is a thermobaric weapon?
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A number of news outlets
A number of news outlets have reported that the Russian army is deploying thermobaric weapons also known as a vacuum bomb in Ukraine.
This weapon works by sucking in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. This works in two stages.
The first-stage charge distributes an aerosol made up of very fine material, the first such weapon used coal dust by today is more likely to be a carbon-based fuel. The second charge ignites that cloud, creating a fireball and a shock wave which is much greater than that of conventional explosives.
The application would normally be in a bunker busting situation. Of course there are no bunkers of the type we see dotted around the countryside from WW2 in Ukraine but the equivalent would be buildings, including residential blocks where resistance is met.
The preferred way of dealing with bunkers during WW2 was by flame throwers and this is a modern version of this weapon which was cumbersome, very heavy and a danger to the user. The Russians have a delivery system on the TOS1 multiple barrelled rocket launcher which has been in service since 1988.
The inventor of this type of weapon was Mario Zippemayr. Around 1942, he set up a research institute with around 35 staff with two branches, one in Vienna and the other near Salzburg. His creation was the L40 air torpedo, which could be dropped from any height and speed up to 700 km/h. The application seen was anti aircraft. The device contained coal dust which was distributed over a large area in the surrounding air near the targets via the first explosive charge at a preset altitude. The dispersed coal dust was then blown up with a second charge. The first test was carried out with a 60-kilogram thermobaric device in 1943 at the Döberitz military training area near Berlin and at Lake Starnberg in Bavaria . The most effective results were obtained with 60 percent liquid oxygen and 40 percent pulverised coal. The radius of destruction is said to have been 600 meters in Döberitz, and 4 to 4.5 kilometers for the improved 25 to 50 kilogram bomb over Lake Starnberg. At the end of the war, preparations were being made at Nordhausen for the production of larger bombs with liquid oxygen. As far as I am aware, no use was made with this weapon in WW2.
After Germany's surrender, Mario Zippermayr stayed in the Salzberg region. Despite his invention, he was not picked up by Operation Paperclip to work for the United States and the Soviet Union was not interested either. Nonetheless he provided answers to questions asked of him.
Research nonetheless went ahead in both the US and Soviet Union. Weapons of this type were used in Vietnam in both bunker busting and bombardment roles. Both the Soviet Union and US used this weapon in Afghanistan for clearing above all caves and similar positions. Russia used in built up areas in Chechnya.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the US said that it has been used in Ukraine, at the time of writing, reports need to be confirmed. Nonetheless as far as I am aware, this weapon has not been outlawed.
My history channel is based on my own research and generally comes from places I have visited and or original research. I live in a motorhome and as such spend most of my time travelling between Poland, Germany and Italy which is why there is a tendency to produce material from these countries, and sometimes material that is not available in English. My speciality is in World War Two, and in particular, the Holocaust although as you can see, I have opinions on a lot of other historical subjects too.
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Production of independent researched history is time consuming and expensive. Please consider supporting me on Patreon. Patreon: alanheath
This weapon works by sucking in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. This works in two stages.
The first-stage charge distributes an aerosol made up of very fine material, the first such weapon used coal dust by today is more likely to be a carbon-based fuel. The second charge ignites that cloud, creating a fireball and a shock wave which is much greater than that of conventional explosives.
The application would normally be in a bunker busting situation. Of course there are no bunkers of the type we see dotted around the countryside from WW2 in Ukraine but the equivalent would be buildings, including residential blocks where resistance is met.
The preferred way of dealing with bunkers during WW2 was by flame throwers and this is a modern version of this weapon which was cumbersome, very heavy and a danger to the user. The Russians have a delivery system on the TOS1 multiple barrelled rocket launcher which has been in service since 1988.
The inventor of this type of weapon was Mario Zippemayr. Around 1942, he set up a research institute with around 35 staff with two branches, one in Vienna and the other near Salzburg. His creation was the L40 air torpedo, which could be dropped from any height and speed up to 700 km/h. The application seen was anti aircraft. The device contained coal dust which was distributed over a large area in the surrounding air near the targets via the first explosive charge at a preset altitude. The dispersed coal dust was then blown up with a second charge. The first test was carried out with a 60-kilogram thermobaric device in 1943 at the Döberitz military training area near Berlin and at Lake Starnberg in Bavaria . The most effective results were obtained with 60 percent liquid oxygen and 40 percent pulverised coal. The radius of destruction is said to have been 600 meters in Döberitz, and 4 to 4.5 kilometers for the improved 25 to 50 kilogram bomb over Lake Starnberg. At the end of the war, preparations were being made at Nordhausen for the production of larger bombs with liquid oxygen. As far as I am aware, no use was made with this weapon in WW2.
After Germany's surrender, Mario Zippermayr stayed in the Salzberg region. Despite his invention, he was not picked up by Operation Paperclip to work for the United States and the Soviet Union was not interested either. Nonetheless he provided answers to questions asked of him.
Research nonetheless went ahead in both the US and Soviet Union. Weapons of this type were used in Vietnam in both bunker busting and bombardment roles. Both the Soviet Union and US used this weapon in Afghanistan for clearing above all caves and similar positions. Russia used in built up areas in Chechnya.
The Ukrainian ambassador to the US said that it has been used in Ukraine, at the time of writing, reports need to be confirmed. Nonetheless as far as I am aware, this weapon has not been outlawed.
My history channel is based on my own research and generally comes from places I have visited and or original research. I live in a motorhome and as such spend most of my time travelling between Poland, Germany and Italy which is why there is a tendency to produce material from these countries, and sometimes material that is not available in English. My speciality is in World War Two, and in particular, the Holocaust although as you can see, I have opinions on a lot of other historical subjects too.
Facebook: historysite
Production of independent researched history is time consuming and expensive. Please consider supporting me on Patreon. Patreon: alanheath
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