Editing Thermobaric weapon (section)

===Soviet, later Russian===
[[File:RPO-A missile and launcher.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.35|A Soviet [[RPO-A Shmel]] (Bumblebee) rocket and launcher]]

Following FAEs developed by the United States for use in the [[Vietnam War]],<ref name="US_therm"/> [[Soviet Union]] scientists quickly developed their own FAE weapons. Since Afghanistan, research and development has continued, and Russian forces now field a wide array of third-generation FAE warheads,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/press/2000/02/chech0215b.htm |title=Backgrounder on Russian Fuel Air Explosives ('Vacuum Bombs') |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=27 December 2008 |access-date=30 July 2009 |archive-date=15 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115025754/http://www.hrw.org/legacy/press/2000/02/chech0215b.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> such as the [[RPO-A Shmel|RPO-A]].<ref name="Kolev21">{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/prep.202100195|title=Aluminized Enhanced Blast Explosive Based on Polysiloxane Binder |year=2022 |last1=Kolev |first1=Stefan K. |last2=Tsonev |first2=Tsvetomir T. |journal=Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics |volume=47 |issue=2 |s2cid=244902961 }}</ref><ref name="Lester2000">Lester W. Grau and Timothy L. Thomas (Marine Corps Gazette, April 2000) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20051113123217/http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/Rusn_leslrn.htm Russian Lessons Learned From the Battles For Grozny]" </ref> The [[Russian armed forces]] have developed thermobaric ammunition variants for several of their weapons, such as the TBG-7V thermobaric grenade with a lethality radius of {{convert|10|m|abbr=on}}, which can be launched from a [[rocket propelled grenade]] (RPG) [[RPG-7]]. The [[GM-94]] is a {{convert|43|mm|in|abbr=on}} pump-action [[grenade launcher]] designed mainly to fire thermobaric grenades for [[close combat]]. The grenade weighed {{convert|250|g|abbr=on}} and contained {{convert|160|g|abbr=on}} of explosive, its lethality radius is {{convert|3|m|abbr=on}}, but due to the deliberate "fragmentation-free" design of the grenade, a distance of {{convert|4|m|abbr=on}} is considered safe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/gm-94-e.html |title=Modern Firearms – GM-94 |location=Russia |publisher=World Guns |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107155807/http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/gm-94-e.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The RPO-A and upgraded RPO-M are infantry-portable rocket propelled grenades designed to fire thermobaric rockets. The RPO-M, for instance, has a thermobaric warhead with a [[TNT equivalent|TNT equivalence]] of {{convert|5.5|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and destructive capabilities similar to a {{convert|152|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[high-explosive fragmentation]] artillery shell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defensereview.com/new-rpo-shmel-m-infantry-rocket-flamethrower-man-packable-thermobaric-weapon/|title=New RPO Shmel-M Infantry Rocket Flamethrower Man-Packable Thermobaric Weapon|publisher=defensereview.com|date=19 July 2006|access-date=27 August 2012|archive-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027212445/http://www.defensereview.com/new-rpo-shmel-m-infantry-rocket-flamethrower-man-packable-thermobaric-weapon/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kbptula.ru/index.php/en/productions/small-arms-guns-grenade-launchers/flame-throwers/rpo-pdm-a-shmel-m |title=Shmel-M: Infantry Rocket-assisted Flamethrower of Enhanced Range and Lethality |publisher=Kbptula.ru |access-date=28 December 2013 |archive-date=29 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229005328/http://www.kbptula.ru/index.php/en/productions/small-arms-guns-grenade-launchers/flame-throwers/rpo-pdm-a-shmel-m |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[RPG-27|RShG-1]] and the [[RPG-26|RShG-2]] are thermobaric variants of the RPG-27 and RPG-26 respectively. The RShG-1 is the more powerful variant, with its warhead having a {{convert|10|m|adj=on}} lethality radius and producing about the same effect as {{convert|6|kg|abbr=on}} of TNT.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/rshg-1-e.html |title=Modern Firearms – RShG-1 |location=Russia |publisher=World Guns |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-date=31 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031124458/http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/rshg-1-e.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The RMG is a further derivative of the RPG-26 that uses a [[tandem-charge]] warhead, with the precursor [[high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warhead blasting an opening for the main thermobaric charge to enter and detonate inside.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/rmg-e.html |title=Modern Firearms – RMG |location=Russia |publisher=World Guns |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-date=17 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817060459/http://world.guns.ru/grenade/rus/rmg-e.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The RMG's precursor HEAT warhead can penetrate 300&nbsp;mm of [[reinforced concrete]] or over 100&nbsp;mm of [[rolled homogeneous armour]], thus allowing the {{convert|105|mm|in|abbr=on}}-diameter thermobaric warhead to detonate inside.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://defense-update.com/20081109_rmg.html |title=RMG – A new Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon from Bazalt |date=9 November 2008 |publisher=defense-update.com |access-date=27 August 2012 |archive-date=13 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713042830/http://defense-update.com/20081109_rmg.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Other examples include the [[semi-automatic command to line of sight]] (SACLOS) or millimeter-wave [[active radar homing]] guided thermobaric variants of the [[9M123 Khrizantema]], the 9M133F-1 thermobaric warhead variant of the [[9M133 Kornet]], and the 9M131F thermobaric warhead variant of the [[9K115-2 Metis-M]], all of which are [[anti-tank missile]]s. The Kornet has since been upgraded to the Kornet-EM, and its thermobaric variant has a maximum range of {{convert|10|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} and has a TNT equivalence of {{convert|7|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kbptula.ru/index.php/en/productions/antitank-guided-weapon-assault-arms/kornet-em/portable-transportable-launcher |title=Kornet-EM: Multi-purpose Long-range Missile System |location=Russia |publisher=Kbptula |access-date=28 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229005232/http://www.kbptula.ru/index.php/en/productions/antitank-guided-weapon-assault-arms/kornet-em/portable-transportable-launcher |archive-date=29 December 2013}}</ref> The {{convert|300|mm|in|abbr=on}} 9M55S thermobaric cluster warhead rocket was built to be fired from the [[BM-30 Smerch]] [[multiple rocket launcher|MLRS]]. A dedicated carrier of thermobaric weapons is the purpose-built [[TOS-1]], a 24-tube MLRS designed to fire {{convert|220|mm|in|abbr=on}} thermobaric rockets. A full salvo from the TOS-1 will cover a rectangle {{convert|200|by|400|m|yd|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.military-today.com/artillery/tos1.htm |title=TOS-1 Heavy flamethrower system |publisher=military-today.com |access-date=27 August 2012 |archive-date=10 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010001958/http://www.military-today.com/artillery/tos1.htm |url-status=usurped}}</ref> The [[9K720 Iskander|Iskander-M]] [[theatre ballistic missile]] can also carry a {{convert|700|kg|lb|-1|abbr=on}} thermobaric warhead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/ss-26/|title=SS-26|publisher=Missilethreat.csis.org|access-date=28 December 2013|archive-date=5 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105195341/http://missilethreat.csis.org/missile/ss-26/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Many [[Russian Air Force]] munitions have thermobaric variants. The {{convert|80|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[S-8 rocket]] has the S-8DM and S-8DF thermobaric variants. The S-8's {{convert|122|mm|in|abbr=on}} brother, the [[S-13 rocket|S-13]], has the S-13D and S-13DF thermobaric variants. The S-13DF's warhead weighs only {{convert|32|kg|abbr=on}}, but its power is equivalent to {{convert|40|kg|abbr=on}} of TNT. The KAB-500-OD variant of the [[KAB-500KR]] has a {{convert|250|kg|abbr=on}} thermobaric warhead. The ODAB-500PM and ODAB-500PMV<ref>{{cite web|title=ODAB-500PMV Fuel-Air-Explosive bomb |website=Rosoboronexport|url=http://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/odab-500pmv/|access-date=2019-09-03|archive-date=2019-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190829100316/http://roe.ru/eng/catalog/aerospace-systems/air-bombs/odab-500pmv/|url-status=live}}</ref> unguided bombs carry a {{convert|190|kg|abbr=on}} fuel–air explosive each. ODAB-1500 is a larger version of the bomb.<ref>{{cite web | title=Russian forces destroy 300 Ukrainian troops in pinpoint air strike | website=TASS | date=2024-03-16 | url=https://tass.com/defense/1760351 | ref={{sfnref | TASS | 2024}} | access-date=2024-03-17}}</ref> The KAB-1500S [[GLONASS]]/[[GPS]] guided {{convert|1500|kg|abbr=on}} bomb also has a thermobaric variant. Its fireball will cover a {{convert|150|m|abbr=on}} radius and its lethal zone is a {{convert|500|m|abbr=on}} radius.<ref>{{cite web |author=Air Power Australia |url=http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-040707-1.html |title=How to Destroy the Australian Defence Force |publisher=Ausairpower.net |date=4 July 2007 |access-date=12 July 2011 |archive-date=11 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611033732/http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-NOTAM-040707-1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[9M120 Ataka-V]] and the [[9K114 Shturm]] ATGMs both have thermobaric variants.

In September 2007, Russia exploded the largest thermobaric weapon ever made, and claimed that its yield was equivalent to that of a nuclear weapon.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/12/2030378.htm |title= Russia unveils devastating vacuum bomb |access-date= 12 September 2007 |year= 2007 |publisher= ABC News |archive-date= 30 December 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101230190527/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/12/2030378.htm |url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6990000/newsid_6991000?redirect=6991006.stm&news=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&asb=1|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090202232034/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6990000/newsid_6991000?redirect=6991006.stm&news=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&asb=1|url-status= dead|archive-date= 2 February 2009|title= Video of test explosion|access-date= 12 September 2007|year= 2007|work= BBC News}}</ref> Russia named this particular ordnance the "[[Father of All Bombs]]" in response to the American-developed [[GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb|Massive Ordnance Air Blast]] (MOAB) bomb, which has the [[backronym]] "Mother of All Bombs" and once held the title of the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in history.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/russia/article/0,,2167175,00.html |title= Russia unveils the father of all bombs |access-date= 12 September 2007 |work= The Guardian |location= London |first= Luke |last= Harding |date= 12 September 2007 |archive-date= 16 October 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191016202829/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/12/russia.lukeharding |url-status= live}}</ref>