Details Sketchy On How Tank Was Breached

The Columbus Dispatch | June 3, 2004 | By Tim Doulin

[Poohbah]

FYI...some type of new penetrator on these RPG's or some hypervelocity kinetic penetrator?

Both are rather unlikely; the latter is particularly unlikely, unless somebody repealed Newton's Third Law of Motion. ("For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.")

My demented mind can see a jihadist firing this shoulder-fired hypervelocity kinetic energy round...and the recoil knocking his a$$ through several walls, leaving a Looney-Toons-ish series of jihadist-shaped holes (c8

Most like explanation: the RPG round hit exactly the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective) spot.

[Jeff Head]

Very plausible, particularly if they mask the attack of one of them with several RPG rounds.

[Poohbah]

I never hear anybody mention the Russian Kornet, of which Syria reportedly bought 1000 in 1997 or so ... and the probability that Syrian weapons are flowing into Iraq, either directly across the immediate border or through other channels? 100%

A great idea, except that the Kornet has a fairly long MINIMUM range (that point where the missile becomes controllable by the guidance system) for urban fighting.

[Travis McGee]

I agree, I'd like to know where the Kornets are. During the invasion, there were sporadic reports of attacks by Kornets.

[Bobby777]

that was my suspicion at the time ...

[Last Dakotan]

Does the Kornet E come with the neat hat?

[American_Centurion]

and the recoil knocking his a$$ through several walls, leaving a Looney-Toons-ish series of jihadist-shaped holes (c8

Poohbah, the mental image this line creates for me is too funny to put into words. BTW you owe me a keyboard.

[Jeff Head]

The HV would not be fired off the shoulder...but its launch could be masked by RPG attack...just like the Kornet attack could be which I find more plausible anyway.

[Carcharodon]

There is a street in West Belfast called "RPG Road" because its natural curve and elevation made it an ideal position for the IRA to use RPG's against British Army vehicles. It is amazing when you see just how narrow this street is (and tightly packed with houses) that the Provos never caused a single civilians casualty when firing down it.

[Bobby777]

please post minimum range, and why that is an issue ... a lot of these tanks are parked in the streets it appears from some of the film footage ... if it was parked between houses, maybe ...

[Jeff Head]

That minimum range is reported to be 100 meters.

[inflation]

fox news does, and they are the number one cable net in this country. so do a lot of newspapers and sites all over the net.

[Jeff Head]

100 meters according to:

Defense Update

Army Technology

[SLB]

I will not second guess at this time. Need to find out more abuot the incident. The so called mysterious penetrator of an M1 in Iraq last year was more than likely, read 99% probablity, an RPG-7V. Will have to wait and see on this one.

[bondjamesbond]

Reality check:

Tanks are not invulnerable.

Stealth Aircraft are not invisible.

Every now and then, the enemy gets lucky. The purpose of good design is to keep the number of these occasions to an absolute minimum.

[Bobby777]

Jeff's post indicates newer ones are laser-guided ... perhaps the old ones were wire-guided?

[Jeff Head]

If it is indeed laser or thermal guided with a range from 100M to 5000M and able to penetrate the Abrams...then it's a very nasty weapon and a real threat.

Even though it is the best MBT around, the orginal design of the Abrams body and armor is aging and enemies have had a long time to work the problem.

From the reports, at most they only have a few of them...let's hope that is the case and we can prevent them from getting more.

[Bobby777]

about 328 feet or so? ... just over a football field in length ...

[Travis McGee]

Great posting on the RPG-7 and tactics! THanks!

[holymoly]

If these are HEAT rounds, perhaps they should add Blazer Reactive to the M1A1? The Abrams' highly touted Chobham armor doesn't impress me.