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| Science & Technology |
| In Ukraine they are trying to modernize the Abrams so that they are not immediately knocked out |
| 2024-01-17 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by German Ploysalov [REGNUM] American M1A1 Abrams tanks, which have been “missing” in Ukraine for several months, are now undergoing modernization. They are equipped with dynamic protection, also made in the USA. The corresponding video published by the Ukrainian military is spreading across social networks. The footage shows how the Armed Forces of Ukraine equipped at least one Abrams received from the United States with the ARAT-1 (Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles) onboard dynamic protection of the first generation, as evidenced by the absence of curved plates characteristic of newer versions of the armor. HOW DOES THE BODY KIT WORK? Dynamic protection looks paradoxical at first glance. A tank or other combat vehicle is hung with containers, inside of which there is a layer of explosives between two metal plates. When an armored vehicle is shot at, the enemy shell hits the container. A layer of explosives is detonated towards the projectile, and such a counter-explosion protects the vehicle from cumulative damage. The know-how was invented in the Soviet Union, in the Moscow branch of TsNII-48 (now the Steel Research Institute), in the late 1940s. The technology was borrowed by Israel and the United States. On each side of the Abrams transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, you can see 32 mounted containers with modules known as M19. Optionally, the Abrams tank can be equipped with blocks filled with explosives both on the side and front projections of the turret, and on the frontal armor of the hull, which is provided for in the ARAT-1 technical documentation. Meanwhile, in the United States itself, such a configuration is not used in practice; they are limited to protecting the sides, whose example or instruction the APU decided to follow. The “reactive armor” itself for the M1A1 and M1A2 Abrams was developed taking into account the experience of the military campaign in Iraq. The BRAT (Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles) dynamic protection system, designed for Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, was taken as the basis. The latter, similar to American tanks, were initially transferred to Ukraine without dynamic protection systems. At the same time, they received their additional BRAT armor modules. This decision actually coincided with photographs that were filling the network at that time of a large number of destroyed American infantry fighting vehicles standing in immobilized entire columns alongside German Leopard tanks in the area of the village of Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region. Now they are rushing to equip the Abrams with “reactive protection”, without waiting for losses in the rather small “tank contingent” (a total of 31 vehicles were delivered, as reported by Martin O’Donnell, a representative of the US Army Command in Europe and Africa ). Although the exact data on dynamic protection is kept secret, it is generally accepted that the ARAT-1 should provide protection against cumulative ammunition at a level of at least 55–65% of the main armor values. Modules known as M19 have been produced for it since 2006. DEPENDS ON WHERE IT HITS As it does with all armor... Military experts agree: the installation of dynamic protection in theory will improve the Abrams' survivability after strikes by drones, RPGs, small arms fire and attacks by anti-tank missile systems. The survivability of the tank increases by about 25%, retired colonel and military expert Anatoly Matviychuk told IA Regnum. The defeat of the Abrams will be more difficult if the side and front projections of the turret and the frontal armor of the hull are supplemented with protective blocks, the expert admits. A slightly different assessment is given by military expert, author of the Telegram channel “Russian Engineer” Alexey Vasiliev. The durability of additional armor can increase the protective capacity of the main armor by either 5% or 60%, said expert IA Regnum. Depends on what part of the tank armor the container is suspended on and where the projectile hits the container itself. If it hits the top of the container, the jet stream will be deflected by a plate that is located at an angle inside the container itself, explains Vasiliev. Then part of the cumulative jet is scattered, knocked out to the side, which is why it cannot concentrate on one point, and “ulcers” form on the tank’s armor. If the impact falls on the lower part, then the cumulative jet is more likely to reach the armor of the tank or other vehicle. But, in general, Vasiliev continues, the ARAT-1 dynamic protection modules will really add cumulative durability to an American-made tank. The latter is especially important because the standard composite armor made of depleted uranium was removed from the tanks sent to Ukraine (as Western publications wrote) and replaced with protection made of conventional armor steel. Such armor is more susceptible to damage from a cumulative jet. WEAK SPOTS Dynamic defense has an Achilles heel. They try not to place it on the side and front projections of the tank turret and on the frontal armor of the hull. This seems to be explained by the fact that the detonation of the explosive filling of the containers can affect the operation of electronics and optical surveillance equipment, explains Vasiliev. But this also makes a tank or armored vehicle more vulnerable. The question of protecting American-made tanks from drones remains open. Experts suggest that Abrams will have protective visors similar to those previously seen on Israeli Merkavas. However, notes military expert Sergei Suvorov, anti-drone visors will not change the situation, since improvised armor will have serious gaps. In particular, by installing visors on the Abrams, the APU will partially strengthen the protection of the turret, but will not protect the most vulnerable part of the tank - the engine and transmission compartment. Thus, experts summarize, what is being done to “body kit” or other methods of protecting the Abrams or the same Bradley infantry fighting vehicles will make it difficult to defeat these targets, but will not make them invulnerable. Relatively speaking, the tank will be hit not with the first shot, but with the third, Matviychuk notes. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #1 Wiki "The idea of counterexplosion (kontrvzryv in Russian) in armour was first proposed by the Scientific Research Institute of Steel (NII Stali) in 1949 in the USSR by academician Bogdan Vjacheslavovich Voitsekhovsky (1922–1999)." |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2024-01-17 10:17 |