Thermobaric warhead

A thermobaric warhead is a munition payload type rather than a complete weapon. ARES describes thermobaric munitions as payloads that use ambient oxygen to produce a longer-duration, high-temperature blast with lower peak pressure than conventional HE, usually with little primary fragmentation. Reporting on the AQ-400 Scythe also describes a thermobaric warhead as a standard payload option.

Thermobaric warhead, Thermobaric payload, Munitions

Image source: Commons Thermobaric Head for M79 Osa

Profile

Origin: Soviet Union / Russia
Built by: Various manufacturers
Built in: Multiple countries
Type: Thermobaric payload

thermobaric UAVrocketmissile bomb

Specifications

Warhead type: Thermobaric / fuel-air explosive payload
Primary effect: Longer-duration blast with high temperature and lower peak pressure than conventional HE
Fragmentation: Usually light-cased with little primary fragmentation
Delivery: Used on rockets, missiles, bombs, and loitering munitions
Role: Anti-structure and anti-personnel area-effect payload

Carrier UAVs

Reporting on the AQ-400 Scythe describes a thermobaric warhead as a standard payload option.

Carrier

Carrier type

Carriage evidence

Long-range strike UAV

TWZ reports that a standard payload for the AQ-400 Scythe can be a thermobaric warhead.

Sources: Ukraine's Scythe Drone Is All About Striking Far Away As Cheaply As Possible

Thermobaric warhead Images

Thermobaric warhead, Thermobaric payload, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Commons Thermobaric Head for M79 Osa

Thermobaric warhead, Thermobaric payload, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Commons Shikhany NBC Exercise 2018-05

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Sources

ARES Explosive Weapons in Populated AreasPublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Supports the thermobaric munition definition, oxygen-dependent blast effect, longer duration, lower peak pressure, and low-fragmentation construction. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 The inner workings of Russia's thermobaric weaponsPublisher: Army Technology | Note: Supports Russian thermobaric-weapon background and provides another producer context for the payload type. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 WB Group unveils Warmate TL variantPublisher: Janes | Note: Supports Polish manufacturer context and the use of thermobaric warheads on the Warmate family. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Ukraine's Scythe Drone Is All About Striking Far Away As Cheaply As PossiblePublisher: The War Zone | Note: Supports the AQ-400 Scythe carrying a thermobaric warhead as a standard payload option. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Commons Thermobaric Head for M79 OsaPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a photographed thermobaric head on display, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Commons Shikhany NBC Exercise 2018-05Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public thermobaric-weapon firing photo used as contextual gallery imagery. | Accessed: 2026-06-23