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From: munnari!csc1.anu.oz.au!dxb105@uunet.uu.net
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: HEAT shell question and proposal.
Message-ID: <13188@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 16 Jan 90 01:03:50 GMT
References: <12756@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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Organization: Theoretical Physics, R.S.Phys.S., Australian National University$
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From: munnari!csc1.anu.oz.au!dxb105@uunet.uu.net

There's been a lot of discussion lately on how to make HEAT rounds penetrate
reactive armour, but it seems to me thte most dramatic effect reactive armour
is going to have is on tank vs. infantry, ie. shaped-charge tipped rockets. I'd
like to know what ideas have been proposed for using _rockets_ on reactive
armour, and whether the idea below makes sense (and if I've made any errors of
fact).

Briefly, use a self-forging fragment (a la `Skeet') fired from a missile as it
passes over the tank. For those who haven't heard the term, the idea is to use
a shaped explosion to produce not a molten jet, but a slug of (your favourite
material and mine) depleted uranium. I understand a skeet warhead only weighs
about 2kg; it benefits from attacking the weak overhead armour.

The only obvious (to me) technical problem is that of guiding the missile to
detonate at the right instant. Also, how much does the usual warhead of, say, a
TOW weigh?
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David Bofinger	ACSNet:	dxb105@phys0.anu.oz[.au]
                Snail:	Dept. of Theoretical Physics, RSPhysS, ANU, ACT, 2601
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"It is the logic of our times
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