KUBINKA /Moscow Region/, August 26. /TASS/. Omsktransmash (part of Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer within the state tech corporation Rostec) is carrying out work to upgrade the TOS-1A Solntsepyok (Scorching Sun) heavy flamethrower system, Company CEO Igor Lobov told TASS at the Army-2021 International Military-Technical Forum on Thursday.

"Improvements involve the entire range of the vehicle’s design: its protection, communications and fire control systems. This will be a heavily upgraded vehicle," the chief executive said.

The work on the Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower will be completed in the immediate future, he added. "The appearance of this vehicle is a matter of the immediate future," he said.

The TOS-1A heavy flamethrower keeps its relevance on the battlefield, the Omsktransmash head pointed out.

"New videos appear in the Internet every month showing its particular combat employment. And all of them say that it has been successful. The vehicle is quite in demand and has the high cost/efficiency ratio," Lobov said.

The TOS-1A Solntsepyok is a flamethrower system based on the tank’s chassis. The flamethrower fires 220mm rockets with the thermobaric warhead. The Solntsepyok is designated to destroy the enemy’s manpower, its military hardware and fortifications.

The Army 2021 forum is running at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center outside Moscow on August 22-28.