d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se (Bertil Jonell) (01/22/90)
From: Bertil Jonell <d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se>
There has recently been a discussion about the feasability of a shape-
charge round that penetrates reactive armour kinetically before it fires
the shapecharge and penetrates the targets main armour.
Such a round exists.
Excerpt from "Bofors - Special advertising supplement to IRD 6/1988,
International Defense Review" (C) 1988 Interavia S.A., Geneva, Switzerland.
>From the article "New lease of life for recoilless rifles" pg 24:
"The new ammunition has flip-out fins to provide stability during flight and
will function at impact angles up to 75 degrees (NATO). As the round is fired
from the gun, the acceleration moves a magnet between two coils in the base of
the shell, and the resulting current charges an accumulator. One terminal is
connected to the shells casing, and the other to a contact strip inside the
hollow ogival nose. On impact, the tip of the strengthened ogive penetrates the
complete reactive element of the target. During and after penetration the
shell's casing progressively collapses until it touches the contact strip; the
electrical circuit is thus completed, and the hollow-charge warhead is
detonated. The explosive in the reactive armour is ignited by shrapnel from the
shell body. The shaped charge itself has a trumpet-shaped lined designed to
maximise the jet's penetration of the target's main armour."
The round is called 3A-HEAT-T and is for the 106mm BAT (Battalion Anti-Tank) a
US designed recoilless rifle.
An ad in the same issue (pg 10) says: "..ability to penetrate 700mm of RHA
shielded by reactive armour."
--
Bertil K K Jonell @ Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg
NET: d9bertil@dtek.chalmers.se
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