Armour. How has it progressed???

[flamingknives]

What does DU have to offer that copper doesn't?

It's more dense, but much less ductile (4% failure strain as opposed to 60% for copper) so the stream is less cohesive, AIUI.

I'd hazard that the rectangles are ID panels of some variety.

[Redwolf]

Zaloga says a HEAT round with an uranium liner should reach a 1:15 diameter/penetration ratio. He doesn't say why.

A 105mm round with 1:15 would pose a problem...

[Mr. Tittles]

From what I understand, its defeating the tip of the HEAT penetration 'jet' thats important. Its actually the fastest moving part.

Anything that could make the tip stronger would be better. Perhaps DU could be alloyed with copper or some other metal. I understand DU has alloys when used as a APFSDS round.

[Ogiwan]

Originally posted by flamingknives:

What does DU have to offer that copper doesn't?

It's more dense, but much less ductile (4% failure strain as opposed to 60% for copper) so the stream is less cohesive, AIUI.

DU is pyrophoric; if you put a lot of pressure on it, it'll catch fire and shoot pieces of it around and all that. So, once the sabot penetrates, little flaming pieces fly off and bounce around the inside of the tank and roast everyone in it.

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Ogiwan:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by flamingknives:

What does DU have to offer that copper doesn't?

It's more dense, but much less ductile (4% failure strain as opposed to 60% for copper) so the stream is less cohesive, AIUI.

DU is pyrophoric; if you put a lot of pressure on it, it'll catch fire and shoot pieces of it around and all that. So, once the sabot penetrates, little flaming pieces fly off and bounce around the inside of the tank and roast everyone in it. </font>

[Redwolf]

I don't think hardness or behaviour on pressure or breakup behaviour have to do with it.

My guess is that it is simply a matter of having much mass available in a small space, kind of the same problem a spacecraft has with its propulsion.

Remember the energy for the penetration of a HEAT round comes from its conventional HE component, the liner is passive and doesn't contribute energy.

The problem with HEAT rounds is that the diameter is bound to the penetration, because you cannot just make it longer, if you do it just stops working. That means, if you keep the same liner. New liner material might allow you to make a deeper round with more explosive stacked along a longer round without having it stop working.

[ April 13, 2004, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: redwolf ]

[flamingknives]

The thing is, modern liner materials are highly ductile. Copper is, and I understand that teflon has been considered. Aluminium has been used, but was inefficent. It is both less dense and less ductile than copper, so which property causes the difference is unclear.

[mcgivney]

DU has two main advantages: the aforementioned combustible properties, and the fact that it actually sharpens itself upon impact.

Yeah. Read that again.

Unlike tungsten or other metals, which deform and flatten upon impact, DU actually shears off at an angle, so the round retains a long point (while getting shorter and slower). That's why the lentgh of your DU penetrator is actually important.

[flamingknives]

Those characteristics are beneficial for a Kinetic Energy penetrator.

They're not going to help if it's used as a shaped charge liner. In fact, the whole shearing off bit would reduce its effectiveness as a liner, AIUI.

[Guest Mike]

RPG 22 hit just above the road wheels on the side where the armour is normal steel and not very thick.

[Redwolf]

Mike, that is the kind of information that shouldn't be tossed around while American tanks are still driving by hostile RPGs on a daily basis.

Luckily, you are incorrect or at least incomplete

[gunnergoz]

Whew. I'm glad you said something Redwolf. My tin hat is picking up signals from Over There...quick, turn off your monitor before they see what Mike wrote!