126:
operational requirement for the defence against shaped charges was laid out. The focus was in regard to
Japanese 75 mm hollow charge shells used against Allied tanks in the Pacific. The destructive effect of the shaped charge was identified as a jet moving at high velocities, consisting out of particles from the liner. The two methods developed were to destroy the jet by forcing it to act through a layer of explosives, disrupting the jet, and to make it act through a layer of oxidiser, destroying the jet by burning it with oxidising agents.
272:(HEAT) warhead explosion would already cause great danger to anyone near the tank. Although ERA plates are intended only to bulge following detonation, the combined energy of the ERA explosive, coupled with the kinetic or explosive energy of the projectile, will frequently cause explosive fragmentation of the plate. The explosion of an ERA plate creates a significant amount of shrapnel, and bystanders are in grave danger of fatal injury. Thus, infantry must operate some distance from vehicles protected by ERA in combined arms operations.
221:
195:
118:
33:
317:
145:. The first pre-production models were produced during the 1960s. However, insufficient theoretical analysis during one of the tests resulted in all of the prototype elements being detonated. For a number of reasons, including the aforementioned accident and a belief that Soviet tanks had sufficient armour, the research was ended. No more research was conducted until 1974, when the Ministry of the Defensive Industry announced a contest to find the best tank protection .
130:
were done in few numbers which caused varied results. A mixture of Sodium and
Potassium Nitrates explosives was seen as the most practical option due to their casting properties. The mixture acted as an oxidiser which may explode when dispersed and heated. The Explosives Manufacturing Practices Laboratory seemingly developed a more middle road between chemical armor and explosive reactive armor concepts to counter the hollow charge threat.
171:
44:
217:, or detonation speed of its explosive element. A more brisant explosive and greater plate velocity will result in more plate material being fed into the path of the oncoming jet, greatly increasing the plate's effective thickness. This effect is especially pronounced in the rear plate receding away from the jet, which triples in effective thickness with double the velocity.
300:
causes a localized bending or bulging of the plates in the area of the impact. As the plates bulge, the point of jet impact shifts with the plate bulging, increasing the effective thickness of the armour. This is almost the same as the second mechanism that explosive reactive armour uses, but it uses energy from the shaped charge jet rather than from explosives.
151:, an American military research and manufacturing facility experimented with testing linear cutting charges against anti-tank ammunition in the 1950s, and concluded that they may be effective with an adequate sensing and triggering mechanism, but noted "tactical limitations"; the report was declassified in 1980.
608:
190:
The disruption is attributed to two mechanisms. First, the moving plates change the effective velocity and angle of impact of the shaped charge jet, reducing the angle of incidence and increasing the effective jet velocity versus the plate element. Second, since the plates are angled compared to the
303:
Since the inner liner is non-explosive, the bulging is less energetic than on explosive reactive armour, and thus offers less protection than a similarly-sized ERA. However, NERA and NxRA are lighter, safe to handle, safer for nearby infantry, can theoretically be placed on any part of the vehicle,
186:
An element of explosive reactive armour (ERA) is either made out of a sheet or slab of high explosive sandwiched between two metal plates, or multiple "banana shaped" rods filled with high explosive which are referred to as shaped charges. On attack by a penetrating weapon, the explosive detonates,
129:
The earliest trials were done with small charges able to defeat 2 inch of steel plate which were readily defeated by a layer of explosive (Baratol, R.D.X., Cordite, etc.) or a vigorous oxidising medium. Subsequent trials with
British No.68 and American M9A1 grenades were carried out. However trials
299:
NERA and NxRA operate similarly to explosive reactive armour, but without the explosive liner. Two metal plates sandwich an inert liner, such as rubber. When struck by a shaped charge's metal jet, some of the impact energy is dissipated into the inert liner layer, and the resulting high pressure
125:
The
Australians were the first recorded to have conceptualized and developed methods to disrupt and spread the jet of a hollow charge shell to reduce its penetrating power. In a June 1944 report from the Explosives Manufacturing Practices Laboratory of the Explosives Factory Maribyrnong, an
379:
Another electromagnetic alternative to ERA uses layers of plates of electromagnetic metal with silicone spacers on alternate sides. The damage to the exterior of the armour passes electricity into the plates, causing them to magnetically move together. As the process is completed at the
376:, significantly diffusing the attack. It is not public knowledge whether this is supposed to function against both kinetic energy penetrators and shaped charge jets, or only the latter. As of 2005, this technology had not yet been introduced on any known operational platform.
191:
usual impact direction of shaped charge warheads, as the plates move outwards the impact point on the plate moves over time, requiring the jet to cut through fresh plates of material. This second effect significantly increases the effective plate thickness during the impact.
245:
tanks built forty to fifty years ago, but still used today by reserve units. The U.S. Army uses reactive armour on its Abrams tanks as part of the TUSK (Tank Urban
Survivability Kit) package and on Bradley vehicles and the Israelis use it frequently on their American built
605:
228:
ERA also counters explosively forged projectiles, as produced by a shaped charge. The counter-explosion must disrupt the incoming projectile so that its momentum is distributed in all directions rather than toward the target, greatly reducing its effectiveness.
304:
and can be packaged in multiple spaced layers if needed. A key advantage of this kind of armour is that it cannot be defeated via tandem warhead shaped charges, which employ a small forward warhead to detonate ERA before the main warhead fires.
210:, can break apart a penetrating rod that is longer than the ERA is deep, again significantly reducing penetration capability. Modern APFSDS however, can not be broken apart by ERA, as it usually has a strong, depleted uranium core.
187:
forcibly driving the metal plates apart to damage the penetrator. The shaped charges on the other hand, each detonate individually, launching one spike-shaped plate each, meant to deflect, detonate or cut the incoming projectile.
284:
round penetrates a
Serbian ERA sample but fails to detonate it. However, computer simulations indicate that a small caliber (30 mm) HEAT projectile will detonate an ERA, as would larger shape charges and APFSDS penetrators.
236:
and its now-independent component states since the 1980s, and almost every tank in the eastern-European military inventory today has either been manufactured to use ERA or had ERA tiles added to it, including even the
508:
667:
94:
Reactive armour is intended to counteract anti-tank munitions that work by piercing the armour and then either killing the crew inside, disabling vital mechanical systems, or creating
384:
the plates are moving when struck by the projectile, causing the projectile energy to be deflected whilst the energy is also dissipated in parting the magnetically attracted plates.
265:) of the hull and the front and sides of the turret. Their use requires that a vehicle be fairly heavily armoured to protect itself and its crew from the exploding ERA.
689:
360:
is a proposed reactive armour technology. It is made up of two or more conductive plates separated by an air gap or by an insulating material, creating a high-power
646:
806:
580:
202:
To be effective against kinetic energy projectiles, ERA must use much thicker and heavier plates and a correspondingly thicker explosive layer. Such
492:
801:
91:
When a shaped charge strikes the upper plate of the armour, it detonates the inner explosive, releasing blunt damage that the tank can absorb.
715:
663:
627:
755:
444:
138:
777:
372:
to discharge the capacitor, dumping a great deal of energy into the penetrator, which may vaporize it or even turn it into a
693:
268:
A further complication to the use of ERA is the inherent danger to anyone near the tank when a plate detonates, though a
158:
in 1967–1969. Reactive armour created on the basis of the joint research was first installed on
Israeli tanks during the
754:
Graswald, Markus; Gutser, Raphael; Breiner, Jakob; Grabner, Florian; Lehmann, Timo; Oelerich, Andrea (14 April 2019).
748:
502:
831:
17:
584:
467:"Preliminary Tests of Picatinny Arsenal Device (Linear Cutting Charge) Against, Dynamically Fired Ammunition"
643:
294:
109:
in rapid succession. Without tandem charges, hitting precisely the same spot twice is much more difficult.
84:
743:
Manfred Held: "Brassey's
Essential Guide to Explosive Reactive Armour and Shaped Charges", Brassey 1999,
522:
Held, Manfred (20 August 2004). "Dynamic Plate
Thickness of ERA Sandwiches against Shaped Charge Jets".
836:
88:(NxRA), and electric armour. NERA and NxRA modules can withstand multiple hits, unlike ERA and SLERA.
328:
258:
67:
719:
280:
ERA is insensitive to impact by kinetic projectiles up to 30 mm in caliber. A 20 mm APIT
269:
826:
624:
155:
550:
381:
142:
8:
447:. Explosives Factory Maribyrnong/Ed Webster. Explosives Manufacture Practices Laboratory
783:
369:
787:
773:
744:
498:
220:
182:
S is arranged in pairs of plates, giving the turret its prominent triangular profile.
148:
811:
763:
531:
466:
398:
393:
373:
159:
194:
650:
631:
612:
365:
348:
417:
812:
Defence
Science and Technology Laboratory: Electric Armour - The threat of RPGs
117:
59:
32:
551:"Criteria and evaluation of ballistic sensitivity of explosive reactive armor"
820:
106:
102:
63:
101:
Reactive armour can be defeated with multiple hits in the same place, as by
535:
233:
154:
A West German researcher, Manfred Held, carried out similar work with the
768:
606:
Non-explosive energetic material and a reactive armour element using same
316:
664:"'Electric armour' vaporises anti-tank grenades and shells - Telegraph"
368:
the armour. When an incoming body penetrates the plates, it closes the
281:
247:
36:
361:
207:
175:
445:"1 0 Australian ERA, Archives from Ed Webster of Armoured Archives"
214:
170:
95:
288:
807:
Defense Update: Advanced Protection for Modern Armoured Vehicles
511:
from the original on 18 February 2023 – via Google Books.
262:
615:, US Patent Application 20060011057, accessed August 29, 2007.
62:
used in protecting vehicles, especially modern tanks, against
43:
753:
242:
238:
179:
48:
137:
in Russian) in armour was proposed in the USSR by the
261:
that are most likely to be hit, typically the front (
690:"Electrified Vehicle Armour Could Deflect Weapons"
424:. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
232:Explosive reactive armour has been valued by the
818:
581:"Protection Systems For Future Armored Vehicles"
756:"Defeating Modern Armor and Protection Systems"
289:Non-explosive and non-energetic reactive armour
418:"POTASSIUM NITRATE AND SODIUM NITRITE MIXTURE"
490:
762:. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
364:. In operation, a high-voltage power source
165:
716:"Advanced Add-on Armor for Light Vehicles"
767:
644:'Star Trek' shields to protect supertanks
760:2019 15th Hypervelocity Impact Symposium
491:Jones, Clive; Petersen, Tore T. (2013).
219:
193:
169:
116:
51:tank layered with reactive armour bricks
42:
31:
442:
76:self-limiting explosive reactive armour
14:
819:
548:
139:Scientific Research Institute of Steel
802:Defense Update: Reactive Armour Suits
737:
524:Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnics
98:that disables the crew—or all three.
555:Scientific-Technical Review (Serbia)
521:
471:Defense Technical Information Center
311:
143:Bogdan Vjacheslavovich Voitsekhovsky
141:(NII Stali) in 1949 by academician
121:Reactive armour "DYNA" for T-72 MBT
24:
670:from the original on 21 March 2017
307:
213:An important aspect of ERA is the
178:explosive reactive armour on this
25:
848:
795:
253:ERA tiles are used as add-on (or
494:Israel's Clandestine Diplomacies
315:
105:weapons, which fire two or more
708:
682:
656:
637:
257:) armour to the portions of an
206:, such as the Soviet-developed
162:and was judged very effective.
618:
599:
573:
542:
515:
484:
459:
436:
410:
275:
133:The idea of counterexplosion (
13:
1:
404:
85:non-explosive reactive armour
80:non-energetic reactive armour
625:U.S. Military Uses the Force
295:Non-explosive reactive armor
74:(ERA), but variants include
7:
497:. Oxford University Press.
443:Coulson, W.H. (June 1944).
387:
10:
853:
346:
292:
112:
70:. The most common type is
68:kinetic energy penetrators
259:armoured fighting vehicle
166:Explosive reactive armour
72:explosive reactive armour
549:Ugrčić, Marinko (2004).
270:high-explosive anti-tank
39:with Israeli Blazer ERA
832:Explosives engineering
536:10.1002/prep.200400051
358:electromagnetic armour
225:
199:
198:Reactive armour detail
183:
122:
52:
40:
27:Type of vehicle armour
223:
197:
173:
120:
46:
35:
769:10.1115/HVIS2019-050
696:on 27 September 2011
382:speed of electricity
738:General references
722:on 15 October 2007
666:. 19 August 2002.
649:2008-01-04 at the
630:2013-04-09 at the
611:2017-07-12 at the
327:. You can help by
226:
200:
184:
123:
53:
41:
837:Soviet inventions
779:978-0-7918-8355-6
587:on 30 August 2008
345:
344:
149:Picatinny Arsenal
37:M60A1 Patton tank
16:(Redirected from
844:
791:
771:
732:
731:
729:
727:
718:. Archived from
712:
706:
705:
703:
701:
692:. Archived from
686:
680:
679:
677:
675:
660:
654:
641:
635:
622:
616:
603:
597:
596:
594:
592:
583:. Archived from
577:
571:
570:
568:
566:
546:
540:
539:
519:
513:
512:
488:
482:
481:
479:
477:
463:
457:
456:
454:
452:
440:
434:
433:
431:
429:
414:
399:Gurney equations
394:Composite armour
340:
337:
319:
312:
160:1982 Lebanon war
21:
852:
851:
847:
846:
845:
843:
842:
841:
817:
816:
798:
780:
740:
735:
725:
723:
714:
713:
709:
699:
697:
688:
687:
683:
673:
671:
662:
661:
657:
653:(The Guardian).
651:Wayback Machine
642:
638:
632:Wayback Machine
623:
619:
613:Wayback Machine
604:
600:
590:
588:
579:
578:
574:
564:
562:
547:
543:
520:
516:
505:
489:
485:
475:
473:
465:
464:
460:
450:
448:
441:
437:
427:
425:
422:CAMEO Chemicals
416:
415:
411:
407:
390:
354:Electric armour
351:
349:Electric armour
341:
335:
332:
325:needs expansion
310:
308:Electric armour
297:
291:
278:
168:
115:
56:Reactive armour
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
850:
840:
839:
834:
829:
827:Vehicle armour
815:
814:
809:
804:
797:
796:External links
794:
793:
792:
778:
751:
739:
736:
734:
733:
707:
681:
655:
636:
617:
598:
572:
541:
530:(4): 245–246.
514:
503:
483:
458:
435:
408:
406:
403:
402:
401:
396:
389:
386:
347:Main article:
343:
342:
322:
320:
309:
306:
293:Main article:
290:
287:
277:
274:
167:
164:
114:
111:
107:shaped charges
64:shaped charges
60:vehicle armour
26:
18:Reactive armor
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
849:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
824:
822:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
799:
789:
785:
781:
775:
770:
765:
761:
757:
752:
750:
749:1-85753-225-2
746:
742:
741:
721:
717:
711:
695:
691:
685:
669:
665:
659:
652:
648:
645:
640:
634:(Wired News).
633:
629:
626:
621:
614:
610:
607:
602:
586:
582:
576:
560:
556:
552:
545:
537:
533:
529:
525:
518:
510:
506:
504:9780199365449
500:
496:
495:
487:
472:
468:
462:
446:
439:
423:
419:
413:
409:
400:
397:
395:
392:
391:
385:
383:
377:
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
350:
339:
330:
326:
323:This section
321:
318:
314:
313:
305:
301:
296:
286:
283:
273:
271:
266:
264:
260:
256:
251:
249:
244:
240:
235:
230:
224:How ERA works
222:
218:
216:
211:
209:
205:
196:
192:
188:
181:
177:
174:The advanced
172:
163:
161:
157:
152:
150:
146:
144:
140:
136:
131:
127:
119:
110:
108:
104:
103:tandem-charge
99:
97:
92:
89:
87:
86:
81:
77:
73:
69:
66:and hardened
65:
61:
58:is a type of
57:
50:
45:
38:
34:
30:
19:
759:
724:. Retrieved
720:the original
710:
698:. Retrieved
694:the original
684:
672:. Retrieved
658:
639:
620:
601:
589:. Retrieved
585:the original
575:
563:. Retrieved
558:
554:
544:
527:
523:
517:
493:
486:
474:. Retrieved
470:
461:
449:. Retrieved
438:
426:. Retrieved
421:
412:
378:
357:
353:
352:
333:
329:adding to it
324:
302:
298:
279:
267:
254:
252:
234:Soviet Union
231:
227:
212:
203:
201:
189:
185:
153:
147:
134:
132:
128:
124:
100:
93:
90:
83:
79:
75:
71:
55:
54:
29:
276:Sensitivity
821:Categories
726:17 October
405:References
336:March 2008
282:autocannon
135:kontrvzryv
788:240881543
591:10 August
362:capacitor
208:Kontakt-5
204:heavy ERA
176:Kontakt-5
78:(SLERA),
700:28 April
668:Archived
647:Archived
628:Archived
609:Archived
509:Archived
451:3 August
428:3 August
388:See also
255:appliqué
215:brisance
96:spalling
82:(NERA),
674:2 April
476:3 March
370:circuit
366:charges
250:tanks.
113:History
786:
776:
747:
565:16 May
501:
374:plasma
263:glacis
784:S2CID
774:ISBN
745:ISBN
728:2007
702:2011
676:2018
593:2008
567:2023
499:ISBN
478:2024
453:2024
430:2024
243:T-62
241:and
239:T-55
180:T-90
49:T-72
764:doi
561:(1)
532:doi
356:or
331:.
248:M60
156:IDF
823::
782:.
772:.
758:.
559:54
557:.
553:.
528:29
526:.
507:.
469:.
420:.
47:A
790:.
766::
730:.
704:.
678:.
595:.
569:.
538:.
534::
480:.
455:.
432:.
338:)
334:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
