Monday, April 16, 2018

Missile Defense?

According to Zero Hedge, the Army is outfitting all the M1A2 tanks in Europe with a new, active missile defense package.
Back in March, we detailed how the United States Army M1 Abrams tank, an American third-generation main battle tank, was in the process of being upgraded with an invisible missile shield that will destroy all chemical energy anti-tank threats and other threats before reaching the vehicle. We even said, “that Washington is preparing their main battle tank for the next evolution of hybrid wars.
As an old tanker, I'd be interested to see how this works.  Anti-tank missiles have gotten more lethal over the years, and every tanker knows that any infantryman can hit you with a missile, from the Sagger to the RPG, and that while may not destroy the tank, it sure has the possibility of ruining your  whole day.  Back in the '70s and '80s we practiced missile defense, mainly though movement and tactics designed to break up the missile gunner's aim.  An active defense system would take one worry off the tank commander.

The paragraph above talks about "chemical energy" warheads, which is mil-speak for high explosive rounds.  These things use chemicals (high explosives) in a shaped charge to breach armor.  I doubt that it would have any effect on kinetic-energy (SABOT) projectiles, but if you're finding SABOT ammo on the battlefield, you're in a tank battle.

3 comments:

Dave said...

Probably the Israeli Trophy system.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a20503/army-marines-killer-tank-defense-system/

Dave said...

OK, I posted that before I read the article. It is Trophy. That system has already had some level of real world use in Gaza, I assume against RPGs and the like. I don't think even the Iranians are going to give Hamas ATGMs.

The Russians I think have some sort of system as well.

Ryan said...

Their website says it protects from HEAT rounds as well as ATGM.

Given the nature of our primary concerns these days it likely protects against most, if not all, threats to a tank.