[sci.military] Tanks and radar

spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy) (10/20/90)

From: spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy)



This may seem like a silly question, but why dontt tanks have radar
(for the purpose of firing radar-guided missles)?  Is it because there
is so much ground clutter that radar would be worthless, or is it
because you cant put armor in front of a radar emitter, or what?

bxr307@csc.anu.oz.au (10/24/90)

From: bxr307@csc.anu.oz.au
In article <1990Oct19.181644.17328@cbnews.att.com>, spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy) writes:
> 
> 
> From: spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy)
> 
> 
> 
> This may seem like a silly question, but why dontt tanks have radar
> (for the purpose of firing radar-guided missles)?  Is it because there
> is so much ground clutter that radar would be worthless, or is it
> because you cant put armor in front of a radar emitter, or what?

	The US Army has experimented with the us of millimetre (mm) wave radar
 units on armoured vehicles (in particular tanks) as an added sensor.  I read 
about the tests about 1-2 years ago.  I believe they were successful and while
 the US Army might want to put them on their tanks the expense is a little too
 much at the moment.  The sensor however was not intended to guide missiles, 
rather it was intended to act as a further means by which to sense targets 
through smoke and at night.  It was also, when coupled with a engagement
management computer system to be able to take control of the gun and turret and
point the gun at the nearest target if the commander allowed it.  The gunner
was to then fine aim and fire the gun.
	One outgrowth from the system I think is the "Longbow" mm radar system
which is going to retrofitted to AH64 Apache helicopters.

Brian Ross

henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (10/24/90)

From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
>From: spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy)
>This may seem like a silly question, but why dontt tanks have radar
>(for the purpose of firing radar-guided missles)? ...

Radar-guided missiles are generally of little use on the ground.  There
is too much clutter for radar to pick out a single target easily.  If
you're shooting at aircraft, the situation improves, and there have been
tracked, armored antiaircraft vehicles with radars (e.g. the defunct
Sergeant York).
-- 
The type syntax for C is essentially   | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
unparsable.             --Rob Pike     |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu   utzoo!henry

dav@genisco.uucp (David L. Markowitz) (11/01/90)

From: dav@genisco.uucp (David L. Markowitz)
bxr307@csc.anu.oz.au writes:
>From: bxr307@csc.anu.oz.au
>In article <1990Oct19.181644.17328@cbnews.att.com>, spiff@ucscb.ucsc.edu (Tasmanian Devil School of Speech Therapy) writes:
>> 
>> This may seem like a silly question, but why dontt tanks have radar
>> (for the purpose of firing radar-guided missles)?

>	The US Army has experimented with the us of millimetre (mm) wave radar
> units on armoured vehicles (in particular tanks) as an added sensor.  I read 
>about the tests about 1-2 years ago.  I believe they were successful and while
> the US Army might want to put them on their tanks the expense is a little too
> much at the moment.  

I worked on a millimeter wave tank program at Rockwell in the mid-80's.
It was intended for tank gun control, and included automatic aiming and
firing with no "fine aiming" required.  One test that was performed
resulted in 4 out of 6 shots fired within approximately 30 seconds
hitting moving targets.  1 missed slightly, and the last jammed in the
gun.  Where this program is now, I can't say.

-- 
	David L. Markowitz
	Genisco Technology Corporation
	dav@gtc.com