Main Battle Tanks and Armour Technology

If Tanks have to evolve, which path they should follow?

  • Light Vehicles-Best for mobility

    Votes: 25 7.4%
  • Heavy Armour-Can take heavy punishment.

    Votes: 57 16.8%
  • Modular Design-Allowing dynamic adaptions.

    Votes: 198 58.2%
  • Universal Platform-Best for logistics.

    Votes: 60 17.6%

  • Total voters
    340

Enquirer

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I dont think there is any gun breech that allows the gunner to unload once a shell has been loaded.

At least thats what I know from naval guns. It simply is EXTREMELY unsafe and thus, mechanically impossible.
Naval guns are mostly 'auto' loaded :)
Even the most ancient naval guns are fed via some kind of a belt or piston mechanism! The loader is normally 10-20 feet below the barrel - obviously they cannot unload the shell once it's in the barrel.
But the loader in a tank is right next to the barrel's opening!

UPDATE: Another reason why naval guns are mostly auto-loaded is because their rate of fire is normally very high (compared to tanks, howitzers); as such manual loading cannot match up to the gun's capabilities.
 
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Akim

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Russian expert says about Ukrainian T-64 tank superiority over T-72B3
Russian defense reporter and expert Alexey Khlopotov on Wednesday said that improved version of the Ukrainian T-64 surpasses the Russian upgraded T-72B3 tank.

An expert explained that both tanks represent a cost-effective upgrade package of the Soviet-designed main battle tanks. The upgrade of T-64 and T-72 tanks allows a significant expansion of their combat capabilities with minimal investments.

But he noted that: “the T-64BV is a tank for poor people, and then the “famous” Russian T-72B3, in their mass configuration, is a tank for beggars”.




Ukrainian tank is equipped with a modern sighting system, which has achieved performance comparable to Belarus-made Sosna system that installed on Russian T-72B3 tank. Furthermore, the gunner’s sighting system of improved T-64 has an integrated thermal imager, which detects, identifies, and engages enemy 125 mm guns at any time of day and in all weather conditions.

Other improvements of Ukrainian tank include a Lybid K-2RB digital radios that represent a version of US-made Motorola and a satellite navigation system integrated into a digital battle management system. As to T-72B3, Russian tank equips with the P-186 radio station that might seem outmoded. What’s more, a satellite navigation system in Russia’s version does not have any at all.

Besides, Ukrainian tank fitted with a new generation of explosive reactive armor (ERA), called the Nizh. The advanced protection system, designed in the late 1990s, consists of multiple modules attached to the hull of the tank, which explode when hit by a projectile, dissipating its explosive force.

Russian T-72B3 uses Soviet-era Kontakt-5 ERA elements. The Soviet system is inferior both in the effectiveness of the elements themselves and in the protected area.

Additionally, Ukrainian T-64 has a 12.7mm machine gun mounted on the top of commander hatch which can be aimed and fired from within the tank compared with T-72 where a commander may be killed by sniper or fragments.

For reference, the press service of the UkrOboronProm said Ukrainian defense industry constantly reinforces the army with the upgraded T-64BM tank of the 2017 version.

“The T-64 is the main combat vehicle of armored units of the Ukrainian army and showed itself perfectly in confrontations with the aggressor in the East of Ukraine … According to the results of the test complex, the upgraded T-64BM of 2017 model from last year is serially supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” accordingto press service.

The Ukrainian Army has received at least 100 upgraded T-64 main battle tanks since 2018.
https://defence-blog.com/army/russi...ainian-t-64-tank-superiority-over-t-72b3.html
 

bhramos

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These are Malachit ERA, a fourth gen ERA and s successor of Relikt. Currently deployed on T-14 only. Many experts believe, it not only can stand against modern ATGMs but against latest M829A4 FSAPDS too!



 

binayak95

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These are Malachit ERA, a fourth gen ERA and s successor of Relikt. Currently deployed on T-14 only. Many experts believe, it not only can stand against modern ATGMs but against latest M829A4 FSAPDS too!



ERA withstanding DU APFSDS ?

Sounds like hot air, honestly.
 

Blood+

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ERA withstanding DU APFSDS ?

Sounds like hot air, honestly.
Ever heard of something called 'Duplet'??And besides, what's so special about a lanky DU rod anyway??It's still DU, not adamantium or vibranium, a powerful enough explosion could degrade the rod enough to render it impotent, although that would leave that particular spot of the vehicle open to follow up shots.
 

Vorschlaghammer

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ERAs in theory can protect against apds rods, if the explosive composition is tuned to initiate at the expected incoming rod velocities, then the oblique moving flyer plates will snap the hard and stiff rod.




Even if they are unable to break the rod, deflecting it enough enables the main armor to take it with a partial penetration.
Jane's International Defence Review 7/1997, pg. 15:

"IMPENETRABLE RUSSIAN TANK ARMOUR STANDS UP TO EXAMINATION

"Claims that the armour of Russian tanks is effectively impenetrable, made on the basis of test carried out in Germany (see IDR 7/1996, p.15), have been supported by comments made following tests in the US.

"Speaking at a conference on Future Armoured Warfare in London in May, IDR's Pentagon correspondent Leland Ness explained that US tests involved firing trials of Russian-built T-72 tanks fitted with Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour (ERA). In contrast to the original, or 'light', type of ERA which is effective only against shaped charge jets, the 'heavy' Kontakt-5 ERA is also effective against the long-rod penetrators of APFSDS tank gun projectiles.

"When fitted to T-72 tanks, the 'heavy' ERA made them immune to the DU penetrators of M829 APFSDS, fired by the 120 mm guns of the US M1 Abrams tanks, which are among the most formidable of current tank gun projectiles.

"Richard M. Ogorkiewicz"
But since there are a lot of variations between rod composition, geometry, and velocities, a universal era is not feasible. Even modern tandem heat warheads use non metallic liner, shallow cone precursor to punch holes in era without setting them off.




eras are just another layer of protection, not some be-all-end-all protection.


Nozh and duplet are interesting concepts, in that they use half moon linear shaped charges as reactive element.



In theory they act by cutting the incoming jet/rod off.



Apparently they were able to defeat 3bm-44 mangos for a pakistani demo.
https://andrei-bt.livejournal.com/585175.html
 

Bhadra

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Why don't we get trophy from the israelis for our T90's and BMP's?
Do not suggest that lest the touts here get an idea of "indigenous", Saving dollars by "me importing" rather than you "buying", nothing works without "economy of Scale" of 100 years of assured orders and a lecture on how every body else other than them are "Chor" ...
 

nongaddarliberal

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Do not suggest that lest the touts here get an idea of "indigenous", Saving dollars by "me importing" rather than you "buying", nothing works without "economy of Scale" of 100 years of assured orders and a lecture on how every body else other than them are "Chor" ...
Chill dude. Indigenous vs Foreign weaponry is always a controversial topic, especially in a country like India which is neither backwards nor world class in military tech. But trophy seems like a no brainer to me. We already import so much from Israel, and this is the world's best active defence system for vehicles.
 

Vijyes

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Chill dude. Indigenous vs Foreign weaponry is always a controversial topic, especially in a country like India which is neither backwards nor world class in military tech. But trophy seems like a no brainer to me. We already import so much from Israel, and this is the world's best active defence system for vehicles.
Trophy and other things don't really work well. In the heat of the battle, forest and dust, it is very difficult to block enemy ATGM. It will be a waste of resources
 

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