Russian Slat Armor

StrategyPage ^ | January 24, 2006

[Cannoneer No. 4]

When the Stryker entered service in Iraq with it’s slat armor “cage” (to protect against RPGs), there was some criticism, and some crude humor, directed at that particular rig. But the slat armor did the job, and now Russia is offering it’s similar BTR-80 vehicle, equipped with slat armor. While the United States abandoned wheeled armored vehicles after World War II, Russia kept theirs, and constantly improved their BTR series. While not as heavy, or as high tech, as the American Stryker, the BTR vehicles are popular with many nations, especially for use by police and paramilitary forces. The current export model of the BTR-80, the BTR-90, is equipped with a turret and a 30mm auto-cannon and weighs about 16 tons. The BTR-80, introduced about twenty years ago, is actually more similar to the U.S. Marine Corps LAV, which entered service about the same time.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

[GarySpFc]

I was never in armor, but I'm presuming the slat armor is the wire cage effect I see, correct? Does the armor set off RPGs prior to their hitting the body of the vehicle?

[Lazamataz]

I was never in armor, but I'm presuming the slat armor is the wire cage effect I see, correct? Does the armor set off RPGs prior to their hitting the body of the vehicle?

I believe so.

[null and void]

Yes, and yes.

[Cliff Dweller]

My understanding is that the slats activate the point detonating fuze causing pre-mature detonation so the explosive jet isn't in contact with the vehicle. This allows the armor to disperse the effects better and provide greater survivability.

A friend of mine told me that the "slat armor" was actually a Russian developed item. I don't know, but if it works who cares what it looks like.

[Centurion2000]

The RPG hits the wire cage. The HEAT round inside the RPG warhead then makes it's plasma jet, but since it is in open air it's not effective at cutting through the armor of the APC/AFV.

IIRC some soldiers used to do the same thing with chicken wire to defeat HEAT rounds.

[.cnI redruM]

Yes, this is particularly good against shape charges. it's not just whether the round hits the vehicle, it's designed to detonate at a particular distance to maximize the blast. Won't work as well against a KE round, but I think all RPGs are designed to carry shape charges.

[null and void]

Yeah, the kickback from a KE round would be a bit more than a foot soldier could handle...

[Leatherneck_MT]

Yes it does Gary, the idea is to detonate the shaped charge off of the armor so that the monroe effect never takes place (i.e. the heated gasses cannot burn through the armor).

See this article for a better explanation.

http://www.logwell.com/tech/shot/perforator_history.html

[Born to Conserve]

"...the kickback from a KE round ..."
RPGs are rockets -- no kickback.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I have recently had opportunity to compare the Romanian TAB-77 with the Canadian LAVIII, neither of which had slat armor.

The TAB-77 appears more robust, less refined, bigger wheels, less nimble, noisier, smokier.

The LAVIII compared to the TAB-77 is much quieter, can turn around in a much smaller space, seems faster although I never saw them race, and is generally better suited for sharing the public highway with civilian vehicles.

I am not an unbiased observer. Viewed from the driver's seat of a Ford Ranger, an oncoming LAVIII appears less threatening than an oncoming TAB-77. That might be more because the Canadians are known to be very courteous drivers and the Romanians are known to be crazy.

[null and void]

Precisely.

[Born to Conserve]

"Precisely."

Then why did you say the opposite?

[null and void]

I think you misread me. I was agreeing with an earlier poster that slat armor was designed only to stop shoulder fired shape charge rockets, and wouldn't stop a KE round.

This is a good match to the more common battlefield/urban threat.

I then imagined what a shooter would look like if he could fire a KE round, and weighed somewhat less than a main battle tank...

[Cannoneer No. 4]

New Stryker Defense Proven in Combat

[tumblindice]

Wonder why you don't hear much about reactive armor anymore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armor

[Spktyr]

The problem with the BTR is that it still carries gas tanks in the doors under inadequate armor.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Truck's armor proves it can take a punch

[R. Scott]

A friend of mine told me that the "slat armor" was actually a Russian developed item.

The first was aware of slat armor was on US Army boats running the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta. The crews welded cages of rebar around the wheelhouse and gun positions.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

It's kinda tough on the dismounts when it reacts.