Defeating Modern Armor and Protection Systems

Abstract

An open source research and vulnerability study of main battle tanks and their protections systems revealed that current anti-tank weapons may not be suited to defeat modern threats. One example is the novel T-14 tank being developed and tested in the Russian army with its combined hard-kill and soft-kill active protection system AFGANIT / SHTORA, its new reactive armor MALACHIT as well as improved multi-component passive armor. Additionally, modern active protection systems currently developed in, e.g., Israel, the United States, and Germany feature also multi-sensor and multi-effector systems with drastically improved detection and intercept ranges, short system reaction times as well as protection against multiple threats attacking simultaneously and / or from similar directions. While known effectors and concepts may overcome fielded active protections systems, they are probably not suited in defeating such modern and even future systems. Countermeasures relying on high engagement velocities through improved kinetic energy projectiles or hypervelocity penetrators may provide a potential solution. Another promising concept generates directed, far-distance electromagnetic effects defeating sensors and communications systems of modern main battle tanks. After such a mission kill, a following salvo attack through an anti-tank or modern multi-role weapon will eventually lead to a catastrophic kill. Feasibility studies of these mobile electromagnetic effectors have already shown their high potential.