Pictures of Middle Eastern Armies/Police/Armouries (TONS OF PICS)

[Tarkus]

Originally Posted by yanhchan

Whats all that crap on the tank for...they look like lunch boxes

These are reactive armor blocks. It is another good example of countries that are a few step behind in terms of armor and counter armor technologies. Reactive armor first made it into active service when the main threat to armor were holow charge (or shape charge) shells. These were basically regular explosive shells made in a way that, when detonating on a hard surface, would concentrate all their energy on a single, narrow spot, a bit like a needle. That way, you could go through thicker armor with a reduced amount of explosive, without muzzle velocity being a factor. It was especially useful to provide large caliber, low-velocity gun with a reasonable amount of AT capabilities. IIRC, RPG and most man portable AT devices are still using this.

First counter measure came from the Germans during WWII, with the use of thinly armored skirts (schürzen, as on this StuG IV ) that would detonate the charge far away from the hull and efficiently protect it from the blast.

The T-55 seen here is using the second main counter measure idea: reactive armor. Basically, these are explosive matters pressed between soft steel plates that detonate upon contact, deflect the energy of the shell and lessen its effect on main armor. Israelis M60 and Centurions were first seen with this kind of protection in Lebanon, seemingly to good effects.

Today, tanks are mostly using discarding sabot tungstene super-hard core shells that use extremely high velocity and cinetic energy to go through armor, therefore rendering reactive armor obsolete, at least for main battle tank. It might still be useful for wheeled troops carrier, but I believe Striker LAV are now using some sort of fence like structrure, although I can't figure out how it works... :-?

Cheers

[Gryphon]

Thanks for the correction, I checked my book Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles 1945 to the Present (great text), and it is indeed a T-55.

ERA would still be effective against RPGs and the like. I believe the fence structure around the LAV is also meant to defeat light threats such as RPG by causing them to detonate farther away from the armor surface, rendering the shaped charge ineffective.

I remember seeing a TV program once about a new type of reactive armor that involved two sets of conductive plates surrounding the vehicle, each connected to a massive capacitor bank inside the tank. When a shaped charge or sabot penetrated the first plate and contacted the second, it completed a circuit between the two plates and the capacitor bank discharged. Because the plasma or sabot are still conductive they receive the full electrical discharge and instantly vaporize or explode. It was tested and it worked stunningly well apparently.

[Warthog]

Yep the "fence" really only helps protecting against RPG by detonating them or capturing them before they hit the main hull. IIRC, there was a picture of an RPG stuck in a fence on a Stryker.

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by Tarkus

Today, tanks are mostly using discarding sabot tungstene super-hard core shells that use extremely high velocity and cinetic energy to go through armor, therefore rendering reactive armor obsolete, at least for main battle tank.

ERAs are far from being obsolete for MBTs. There's still way more than enough ATGMs and other portable antitank weapons around for the ERAs to be useful.

[Warthog]

Originally Posted by The Saint

ERAs are far from being obsolete for MBTs. There's still way more than enough ATGMs and other portable antitank weapons around for the ERAs to be useful.

You're contradicting yourself here. You say ERA are not obsolete then you say they are useless because there is way too many ATGM around

[The Saint]

Originally Posted by Warthog

You're contradicting yourself here. You say ERA are not obsolete then you say they are useless because there is way too many ATGM around

How am I contradicting myself? ERA is designed against HEAT warheads, which are primarily employed by ATGMs and man portable antitank weapons. The prevalence of these weapons means that ERA is still very useful. Try reading it again.

[Tarkus]

Originally Posted by The Saint

ERAs are far from being obsolete for MBTs. There's still way more than enough ATGMs and other portable antitank weapons around for the ERAs to be useful.

You're right, maybe obsolete was a bit of a strong word. There are plenty of russian MBTs rumbling around with ERA add-on. Since Russian are into low-level, assymetrical warfare to the full, I guess it proves you right. :nod:

For my defence, I'll invoke the fact that I was more thinking of tank vs tank engagement. A rare occurence to say the least.

Cheers.

[LucidFox]

Lol they have no faced darth vader helmets...

[walks]

those are riot helmets.

[LucidFox]

i know the bottom is cloth but it looks like a vader helmet...

[Conscript]

Iranian Armed Forces Vid:

http://media.putfile.com/Iranian-Armed-Forces

[Warthog]

cool video, nice to see a wide diversity in weaponry

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by LucidFox

Lol they have no faced darth vader helmets...

IF you dont feel like forking over the money for a real one, replicas have been made.

They just need a coat of primer and a coat of black and you're smiling.



also comes in a tactical model, for special operations

[Xepharo]

hahah lol nice ad

[DuffMan]

Yeah, what's with the handles?