US Department of Defense chose active protection systems for tanks and armored personnel carriers
Manufacturers of active defense systems were able to convince the US military command of the need to improve the protection of army armored vehicles. After several years of testing, American tanks and other armored combat vehicles will receive advanced technology to intercept missiles and grenades.
The Iron Curtain systems developed by Artis, a US corporation, will be installed on the Stryker armored personnel carriers. Abrams tanks will be equipped with Israeli Trophy systems, and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles with Iron Fist systems from Israel Military Industries.
Two divisions of the American army - Tank Automotive Research and Development & Engineering Center - are now working closely with armored vehicle manufacturers to integrate active protection systems into ready-made armored vehicles with minimum investment and maximum efficiency. In addition, the US military is considering installing one of these systems on JLTV military off-road vehicles. At the same time, the military department indicates that after trial operation, it will be necessary to slightly change military tactics and retrain the soldiers, since an explosion when intercepting ammunition can hit the infantry walking next to armored vehicles. In addition, new instructions will be issued to the crews of armored vehicles.
The first systems of active protection of tanks were developed in 1950 – 60-ies in the USSR at the Central Design Bureau No. 14 (Tula). The first system was called "Thrush" and was installed in the 1983 year on the T-55A tank, after which it was renamed T55-AD.
The Israeli Trophy system was developed in 2005 year to detect and destroy RPG missiles and shells fired at the tank. The system is equipped with a special radar station and a computer that determines the class and trajectory of the enemy ammunition. If an anti-tank grenade or a rocket threatens a tank, the system releases small charges to the side, which undermine it on approach. In addition, the system is able to determine the location from which the ammunition was fired. The Trophy system is available in several versions; in addition, in October 2015, the company RADS presented its “lightweight” version of Trophy LV.
The Iron Fist system was developed by IMI in 2006 year to protect the heavy Namer infantry fighting vehicles that are in service with the IDF. Given the modularity and relative ease of installation (the system is mounted without making changes to the design of the combat vehicle), it began to be used on other types of armored vehicles.
The Iron Curtain system began being developed in 2005 by the joint efforts of Artis and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This system was initially tested on HMMWV armored vehicles, which the Iron Curtain successfully defended against an RPG-7 shot.
- defense-aerospace.com/businessinsider.com
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