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From: terryr@ogicse.ogc.edu (Terry Rooker)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: HEAT shell question and proposal.
Message-ID: <13229@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 17 Jan 90 01:44:39 GMT
References: <12756@cbnews.ATT.COM> <13188@cbnews.ATT.COM>
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From: terryr@ogicse.ogc.edu (Terry Rooker)
In article <13188@cbnews.ATT.COM> munnari!csc1.anu.oz.au!dxb105@uunet.uu.net writes:
>
>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?

The technical problems apparently have been largely solved.  The
Swedish BILL and the new TOW IIB (?) have both been successfully test
fired and attack the top armor of the target.

The problem is with the self-forging projectile (SFP).  Most SFPs
really on the eplosion of a hsaped charge warhead to form the
projectile.  Matter of fact, most modern shaped charge warheads
include a liner to get the extra effect of a SFP after armor
penetration.  A weapon as you propose would have to have sufficient
stand-off so that the explosive jet never came into proximity to the
reative armor, otherwise it might set it off thus disrupting the jet
and the SFP.  Now that we have sufficient stand off, the SFP must have
enough kinetic energy to penetrate the armor, assuming it isn't
disrupted by going through materials of different density as it passes
through the reactive armor and backing plates.  It sounds plausible I
dont' know enough about the physics of the 'molten' plug to determine
if it would not disrupt and have sufficient energy to penetrate.

-- 
Terry Rooker
terryr@cse.ogi.edu