flamingknives Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Tittles Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogiwan Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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> 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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 ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgivney Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 RPG 22 hit just above the road wheels on the side where the armour is normal steel and not very thick. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnergoz Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 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! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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