Lockheed Martin's Compact Kinetic Energy Missile Successful in Final Flight Test

[Flabbergasted]

http://www.pcb007.com/anm/templates/article.aspx?articleid=14523&zoneid=68&v=

Lockheed Martin's Compact Kinetic Energy Missile Successful in Final Flight Test
Wednesday, February 21, 2007|Lockheed Martin


The U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin conducted a successful flight test of the Compact Kinetic Energy Missile (CKEM) against a T-72 tank recently at Eglin Air Force Base, FL. All objectives for this test were achieved.



The T-72, equipped with Enhanced Reactive Armor, was engaged at a range of 3400 meters. The flight evaluated CKEM’s lethality while also gathering missile guidance and performance data. This was the last scheduled launch under the current CKEM Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD), and was conducted with the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center. Two key advantages of CKEM are its deployability and tremendous overmatch in lethality. The CKEM Weapon System provides increased countermeasure effectiveness and survivability while allowing the soldier to engage the toughest and most sophisticated targets

[davepc]

1. how many different ways do we need to blow up obsolete soviet era tanks?

Not much use against an insurgency.

[Flabbergasted]

2. What's Enhanced Reactive Armor?

[davepc]

4. It's a series of metal tile plates with an explosive behind it.

their designed so that the plate explodes and takes the brunt of the hit, and dissipates the energy released by the anti-take weapon harmlessly against the hull. They're mainly used to defeat anti-tank rounds that when they explode focus a jet of plasticised metal against the hull of the vehicle.

Most anti-tank weapons work by focusing a 500+ degree jet of liquefied copper at a small point in the hull. The copper has enough energy behind it that it burns through the hull then when it gets into the hollow space inside the hull it spurts everywhere. Liquid hot copper hurling through an enclosed space does bad things to human beings and ammunition/fuel.

Kinetic energy weapons don't have an second stage where they form the shaped charge, they just push right through the armor, outside plates and the main hull. So kinetic energy weapons just ignore reactive armour by cutting right through it.

Effective and useful, to be sure. But your local Iraqi insurgent doesn't have any tanks.

[Flabbergasted]

5. But its not for insurgents. Its for Russian Tanks. Thanks

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. They might fly a tank into the Sears Tower. We'll be ready for that.