Do Iraqi terrorists have secret weapon?

WND ^ | 11/4/03 | JOSEPH FARAH'S G2 BULLETIN

[Pro-Bush]

Do Iraqi terrorists have secret weapon? Mystery munition destroys U.S. tank in incident troubling Army officials

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: November 4, 2003 1:00 a.m. Eastern

Editor's note: Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin is a weekly online, subscription intelligence news service from the creator of WorldNetDaily.com – a journalist who has been developing sources around the world for the last 25 years.

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON -- A mystery munition knocked a U.S. Army M1A1 Abrams tank out of commission in Iraq, leading the Pentagon to question whether the terrorists have a secret weapon in their arsenal.

An unclassified Army report says a projectile punched through the vehicle and drilled a pencil-sized hole through the hull. The hole was so small that, according to the author's report, "my little finger will not go into it."

The Abrams tank is nearly invulnerable to attack. Only two have been disabled by enemy fire during the entire Iraq campaign, according to the Army Times. The other one was felled by a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG-7. In the tank's 20-year career, only rarely have any others been disabled by enemy fire.

Yet, shortly before dawn Aug. 28, this 69-ton tank, on routine patrol in Baghdad "was hit by something," according to the report.

The small breach of the hull continued into the crew compartment, where it passed through the gunner’s seatback, grazed the kidney area of the gunner’s flak jacket and finally came to rest after boring a hole 1-½ to 2 inches deep in the hull on the far side of the tank.

[Pro-Bush]

Turret blown off in Tuesday tank attack- Army Times

[GeronL]

I'd bet thats a new Russian or Chinese anti-tank missile!

[Pro-Bush]

"my little finger will not go into it."

Maybe Russian or Chinese, but it sounds like a laser weapon to me.

[GeronL]

http://www.spacedaily.com/2001/010731092942.i7fml7a6.html

Iran says it successfully fired new anti-tank missile

TEHRAN (AFP) Jul 31, 2001 Iran's armed forces have successfully test-fired a new anti-tank missile capable of destroying the most modern and sophisticated armour, state media reported, quoting a military communique.

The missile, dubbed Saeqeh-1 (Lightning-1) and designed by the national aerospace industry, was remarkable for its accuracy, range and adaptability to various geographical conditions, the communique said.

It called the new development "a bold movethat will surely alarm the United States and Israel," Iran's arch foes.

Iran, which is under a western arms embargo since the Islamic revolution of 1979, has reacted by designing and manufacturing its own sophisticated weaponry, including missiles, submarines and helicopters and claims to be approaching self-sufficiency in defence.

---

hhhmmmm

[GeronL]

China markets new anti-tank missile. Friday, 3-Oct-2003 6:20PM CDT. Story from United Press International Copyright 2003 by United ...

I can't find this story... Oct 3!!

[Pro-Bush]

Totally! Wonder why they call it "Lightning-1"?

[Bogey78O]

Oh well, guess we'll have to rely more on tactical nukes then.

[GeronL]

Here it is

---

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- China is marketing a new anti-tank guided missile in Iran, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, says Middle East Newsline.

The new HJ-73 anti-tank guided weapon is meant to penetrate explosive reactor armor. The weapon, produced by China North Industries Corp., known as Norinco, is said to contain more than twice the penetrating power of the original warhead, the report said.

Industry sources said Norinco has presented several variants of the HJ-73 to Iran, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. They include the HJ-73 and the HJ-73B, said to be based on Russia's AT-3 Sagger missile.

Iran has a similar anti-tank missile called Raad, the report said. The Defense Ministry in Teheran has asserted that the Raad, equipped with a tandem warhead, can penetrate 400 mm of armor protected by explosive reactor armor.

[GeronL]

um, see the last post

[Mo1]

Iran, which is under a western arms embargo since the Islamic revolution of 1979, has reacted by designing and manufacturing its own sophisticated weaponry, including missiles, submarines and helicopters and claims to be approaching self-sufficiency in defence.

And who is helping them???

[GeronL]

Looks like the terrorists brought some new toys with them.

[Pro-Bush]

Very interesting, but what about:
An unclassified Army report says a projectile punched through the vehicle and drilled a pencil-sized hole through the hull. The hole was so small that, according to the author's report, "my little finger will not go into it."

[GeronL]

see #8

The new HJ-73 anti-tank guided weapon is meant to penetrate explosive reactor armor. The weapon, produced by China North Industries Corp., known as Norinco, is said to contain more than twice the penetrating power of the original warhead, the report said.

[Mo1]

Check out this

[GeronL]

some sort of shaped charge, all they need is a tiny hole and they kill whatever is inside. The new Chinese missile is meant to penetrate the new reactive armor on the new American/British/German tanks

[Pro-Bush]

Ping!

[GeronL]

I don't know why the hole would be that small.. possibly used depeleted uranium like the armor on the tanks?? Would we investigate deep enough to know whether another source of depleted uranium was present??

[John H K]

Iran has a similar anti-tank missile called Raad, the report said. The Defense Ministry in Teheran has asserted that the Raad, equipped with a tandem warhead, can penetrate 400 mm of armor protected by explosive reactor armor.

Err, a botched article, it's not "explosive reactor armor" it's "reactive armor."

And the Abrams doesn't use reactive armor.

It's covering the outside of the vehicle with explosives (Weird as it sounds) so that when a shaped-charge warhead hits it blows the penetrating jet outwards so it doesn't penetrate the vehicle. If you have two warheads, you can explode the reactive armor and then penetrate the vehicle with the second warhead.

[Pro-Bush]

Are you suggesting that this is a new shaped charge anti-tank missile produced in China? That Small of a projectile with that much punch?

[RandallFlagg]

Looks like the terrorists brought some new toys with them.

It doesn't matter. We have the funding, the minds and the will to use this to our advantage. Whatever they used, we will be able to design a defense against it shortly.