http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100402/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_tanks_of_the_future
Will it work? Has anything like this been tried before?
[t$t], Dave
The concept should work - the question is reaction. Experience has shown that it isn’t one or two RPG’s that hurt tanks, but volleys to overwhelm the new-gen armor. The system would have to react to multiple threats.
This may not be for close in weapons, but rather the anti-tank missile threat. I do think that an active system could defeat any major missile because even something as deadly as the Hellfire still needs to hit the target and it wouldn’t take much to disable the guidence, whether visual, infra-red, or radar. A small, fast reacting disruptor projectile could definitely make a large anti-tank missile miss.
The Russians have had some active systems going since early in this century. I dont know if any have been used in combat in Chechnya or Georgia, or how effective it was if used in combat.
Yeah, the Russians had a system in the late 90’s called Arena, an active defense system designed to defeat ATGMs. It was fitted on T-80s and T-90s. I couldn’t find any combat history with Russian tanks and I don’t think any imported ones were sold with it.
I think it is an interesting idea, and I am sure it will work… eventually. However, for every measure, there is a counter-measure…