MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Russia’s latest TOS-2 ‘Tosochka’ heavy flamethrowers are currently on trial tests with national troops, a senior Russian military official said on Friday.

"Heavy flamethrower TOS-2 is one of the newest weapons with the RCBD [Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense] troops," Chief of Russia’s Chemical, Biological and Radiation Protection Forces Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov said in an interview with the Russian Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.

"The pilot batch of the weapons at the issue was delivered to the military this year and it is currently under a trial test," Kirillov added.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced in August that in the course of the Kavkaz-2020 (Caucasus-2020) strategic command and staff drills, troops were ordered to practice firing the new flamethrowers.

The TOS-2 ‘Tosochka’ is a derivative of the TOS-1A ‘Solntsepyok’ (‘Scorching Sun’) heavy flamethrower system with improved performance characteristics. As compared to its predecessor, it is mounted on the wheeled chassis of the Ural truck with the increased carrying and cross-country capability. The system has an increased range of launching rockets. The TOS-2 has fully automated sighting, firing and fire control systems.

The heavy flamethrower is outfitted with a crane and, therefore, needs no transporter-loader vehicle. The TOS-2 also features an electronic warfare system against precision weapons.