The Russian military will modernize a vast majority of the country’s weaponry over the next “six years to meet enemy threats”, head of the Russian Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense, or RChBD, announced Thursday. The official also is quoted as saying that the efficiency of “flame weapons,” which are said to be absolutely “devastating in close combat, would increase significantly after the upgrade.”
A flamethrower is a mechanical incendiary device designed to project a long, controllable stream of fire. They were first used during World War I, and widely used in World War II.
Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and natural gas, which is considered safer.
The flamethrower is a potent weapon with great psychological impact upon unprepared soldiers, inflicting a particularly horrific death. This has led to some calls for the weapon to be banned.
It is primarily used against battlefield fortifications, bunkers, and other protected emplacements. A flamethrower projects a stream of flammable liquid, rather than flame, which allows bouncing the stream off walls and ceilings to project the fire into blind and unseen spaces, such as inside bunkers or pillboxes. It creates tremendous terror.
“Some consider the use of flamethrowers a war crime? I mean, it causes a lot more suffering than being shot buy a bullet…its a terrible way to die”, said Private Jones of the First Infantry Division at Ft. Riley, Kansas, an expert in small arms and weapons. “I am inclined to say they’re still legal. I never said they were humane. I said there are much worse things to happen to you. It may look terrible for the people who have witnessed someone get burned alive but honestly it wouldn’t be that painful after a few seconds. Then your toast.”
Maj. Gen. Eduard Cherkasov, the head of RChBD troops, Russia is currently developing “special ammunition” for the future that will be able to hit “highly secure defense constructions.” What exactly they are creating is anyone’s guess. Rumors have circulated that the Russian were trying to make “ceramic bullets” that would be 10 times harder than lead, weight less and cost a fraction of the cost of a single bullet made today. Others maintain the use of lasers and laser rifles is a future trend. But regardless the entire modernization project is, as you can imagine shrouded in secrecy at the highest levels.
The official did state however that the Russian army will have 70 percent of its weaponry and equipment modernized by 2020.
“Shortly, infantry flame units will receive new weaponry with higher fire precision and the penetration before exploding effect, ability to destroy fortified emplacements, armored equipment, and personnel in trenches,” RIA Novosti quoted Cherkasov as saying.
See also rare video: Russian flamethrower units in WWII http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX8McyNa6jk