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Electric Armor Tested For Light Armored Vehicles

Posted by michael on from the disconnect-capacitor-before-servicing dept.

joncrie writes "The Telegraph is reporting that British MoD scientists are now testing a new electric armor to protect light armored vehicles against RPGs. The new electric armour is made up of a highly-charged capacitor that is connected to two separate metal plates on the tank's exterior. When an RPG warhead fires its jet of molten copper, it penetrates both the outer plate and the insulation of the inner plate. This makes a connection and thousands of amps of electricity vaporises most of the molten copper. The rest of the copper is dispersed harmlessly against the vehicle's hull. The initial development was mentioned previously."

17 of 418 comments (clear)

  1. NICE MOVE EDITORS. by gl4ss · · Score: 5, Informative

    "'Electric armour' vaporises anti-tank grenades and shells
    By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent
    (Filed: 19/08/2002) "

    take a HARD look at that date. the 'initial development' link dates Aug. 22, 2002 PT.

    like, wtf???? really?????

    sorry for sounding so trollish but REALLY.

    ok, at least proves some ways for some poor souls to copypaste stuff from years ago and get modded to the sky.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  2. I wonder if you have to ... by MikeHunt69 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... polarise the hull plating?

    1. Re:I wonder if you have to ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      If you polarize the hull plating, you need to have a way to reverse the polarity in case they fire a reverse-phase ion cannon. And if you can reverse the polarity, then you can add an alternating field. But if you do that, then you need to be able to modulate the shield harmonics in case they fire a phased photon torpedo at the same frequency. Also, you need a good voice-activated computer so you can yell out "computer, modulate the aft shield polarity using a quantum differential to compensate for the inbound photon torpedo's phase variance" while some guy casually walks up and stuffs a banana in your exhaust pipe.

  3. Using Iraq as an example.. by Tuvai · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The heavily armoured divisions of the US and British armies had little to fear of the iraqi armed forces RPGs, the most "devastating" weapon in their limited arsenal.
    However once the initial resistance was swiftly dealt with, the all new threat came from roadside bombs, suicide bombers, and mines. This will make some difference, but most terrorists will strike at the troops outside of their vehicles anyway.

    1. Re:Using Iraq as an example.. by 3263827 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      All vehicles have a "flaw" when dealing with close combat situations. The M1A2 is fortunately for US forces, one of the most protected tanks, especially against HEAT charges like the one employed by the RPG. Tank protection is a matter of choosing your battles. You can't provide 360 degree protection. That's why tanks operate with infantry in urban ops. Take away the infantry, and you'll have situations like Grozny where the Chechen rebels massacred entire divisions due to poor tactics on the part of the Russians.

    2. Re:Using Iraq as an example.. by demachina · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I know you've had the word terrorist drilled in to your head the Bush administration and the media using it about a 1000 times a day but when someone is attacking occupying soldiers in a war zone they are not "terrorists", they are guerillas or insurgents. Guerilla is probably the word you are looking for:

      WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]
      guerilla
      adj : used of independent armed resistance forces; "guerrilla warfare"; "partisan forces" [syn: guerrilla(a), guerilla(a), underground, irregular]
      n : a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment [syn: guerrilla, irregular, insurgent]

      In the early 20th century the fear word the government used to "terrorize" the populace was anarchist. In the 1950's it was communist. Today it is terrorist. In all three cases the words were whipped to death, misused and misapplied. They are the words the U.S. government uses to "terrorize" their population and to tag everyone that isn't on their side.

      I would be inclined to say that the Bush administration are as much terrorists as the people they tag with this word, because they are governing by constantly stoking the fears of the American people, are using that fear to stay in power, and are governing by intimidation:

      Terrorist \Ter"ror*ist\, n. [F. terroriste.]
      One who governs by terrorism or intimidation; specifically, an agent or partisan of the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror in France. --Burke.

      adj : characteristic of someone who employs terrorism (especially as a political weapon)

      --
      @de_machina
    3. Re:Using Iraq as an example.. by wooby · · Score: 5, Interesting

      You're right, the Abrams was not designed for urban combat. The most lightly armored part of the tank is the top. There's even less armor there than on the hull. This makes the tank susceptible to RPGs fired from rooftops.

      M1's are also huge; when patrolling roads, they tear up pavement and will not fit through some streets in densely populated areas. They pose a danger to civilian passerby and vehicles.

      For day-to-day patrolling, the Army relies mostly HMMWVs. The HMMWV, or "Humvee," can also be "up-armored" with a kit.

      This "electric armor" sounds like a fantastic idea, but I have a feeling it will be too heavy to equip a HMMWV. It could probably work wonders for the roofs of M1's though.

  4. Filed: 19/08/2002 by hattig · · Score: 5, Funny

    I see that Slashdot is finally posting more up to date stuff.

    This is cool, just hope you aren't the soldier that shorts this device by accident!

  5. Two Shots? by Alphanos · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So. if I understand correctly, this only vapourizes the incoming shot once it's most of the way through the armor. What happens when a second shot hits the same location? Alternatively, what if 2-3 shots are fired simultaneously at different locations in an attempt to overload the electrical system? It would be ironic if the electric armor protected the tank against these multiple shots only to kill its electrical system and immobilize it.

    --
    Alphanos
  6. Added bonus by alex_ware · · Score: 5, Funny

    switch the live and earth and you make it impossible for terrorists to climb on the tank

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    If you have nothing useful to say post as AC.
  7. Just like RIAA vs. File traders by Superfreaker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This sounds familiar, they come up with something to get us, then we come up with something to stop them...

    Napster - centralized server (shut down)
    Kazaa - Decentralized server (lawsuits pending)
    Encrypted p2p networks (riaa = screwed)

    Bazooka - (heavy plating neutralized)
    RPG - (liquid copper spewing heads!)
    Electric Field - (emp? = screwed)

    Once you come up with a fix, you force the technology to evolve to its next form faster tahn it would have on its own.

    Just MHO.

  8. Foiled By water balloons? by The_Real_Nire · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So if I understand this right, a direct hit from an RPG would cause a breech in the outter hull, exposing the inner, charged hull. While teh rpg would apparently not affect the vehicle, whay happens if they use those grenade looking water balloons on the hole the RPG made? will this short circuit the system, and possibly fry anyone inside? We need impenetrable EMP forcefields or adamantium hulls instead I think. :P

  9. Protected against RPGs? by Moth7 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Electric armour will never match my Great Sword +4!

  10. Just wait... by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... "19th Century News Coming Online" (2nd previous story)... there will be even older stories soon.

  11. The latest weapon from the U.S. Air Force by demachina · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Here is a more interesting new weapon in development by the U.S., courtesy of Raytheon(an ironic name in this case). Its the U.S. military's Active Denial System scheduled to start trials this fall. Its a millimeter wave beam weapon designed for non lethal crowd "control". The beam penetrates just below the your skin and sets off every pain receptor. Volunteers at Raytheon subjected to it described it as "unbearably painful, saying they felt as though their bodies were on fire". It should put an end to any unauthorized demonstrations against the U.S. or any of its allies.

    Its an execeptionally good riot control device since it leaves no physical evidence, especially if the antenna is somewhat concealed. No clouds of tear gas, no protesters eyes burning from mace, no batons swinging, no soldiers shooting rubber or lead bullets to stoke sympathy from TV viewers. The protester will just start screaming in pain and running away. Sure to be a big hit in Israel and Iraq.

    I'm wondering if they are working on an indoor version since it is a perfect tool for torture, it leaves no marks. The victim wouldn't even know what was happening to them.

    It appears I now have a good reason to wear a tin foil hat, or really a full body suit like everyone keeps telling me I should. Its not just a Bush Big Brother Weapon either. I believe it was started by Clinton and is roundly endorsed by John Kerry.

    This weapon is perfect for a dictatorship wanting to keep its people in line.

    --
    @de_machina
  12. Re:Only works with conductive charges by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wahooo! We're back to throwing rocks at each other. Military technology has finally come full circle :D

    Of course there are still problems with the thermal capacity and density of granite when compared to copper, but I feel sure they can be overcome

  13. Challenger 2 MBT by reality-bytes · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Conversely, the Challenger 2 MBT is one of the most heavily-armoured tanks in the world, sporting both heavy solid armour and reactive plating.

    However, you can apparently stop one with a bucket of sand down the air-intake ;)

    I think that we (the UK) could do with, is getting our MBTs to work properly in all conditions as well as providing fancy-pants defence systems.

    --
    Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.