[1stFreedom]

Your typical RPG cannot touch an M1 where it counts.

It could disable a track, but cannot penetrate the armor.

Reactive armour can be defeated by exploding a primary explosive before a secondary (main) explosive goes off. I'm not sure if the terrorists have any newer RPG's designed to defeat reactive armor. The kornet anti-tank missile has such a feature.

Reactive armor is also very dangerous and the explosion really messess with the crews. Of course it's better then being fried alive, but it's not all that great.

I like the idea of "slat" armor. I think that this is the same as applique armor. This really should do the trick.

[Justa]

I feel for the guys from Ft. Lewis. Not only are they going into a combat zone with a new AFV which is fresh from trials but the Army has decided to add additional weight to it. Two maintenance nightmares in one vehicle.

I seriously doubt the Strykers have had the deficiencies from the trials fixed let alone the issue of adding weight. Imo their engines and transmissions will fail at an unacceptable rate. And they're vulnerable to RPGs?!!! Their losses could be significant. I'll wager a guess there won't be 20% operational in Iraq next April.

Of course there is one wildcard. That is the ingenuity, adaptability, creativity and resourcefulness of the US soldier.

[Gunrunner2]

Thanks. . .as a former A-10 guy, and firing the 30mm, I really didn't care about reactive armor much as the 30mm roundS hitting the target would take care of reactive armor (and could punch through unprotected armor too). Besides, the Maverick missile didn't care about reactive armor much either.
;-)

Just didn't know about RPG's and such.

Thanks again.

[historian1944]

We lost I believe 2 Abrams due to RPG-7 fire in the recent war. One hit I think the APU and burned the tank to nothing.

The "Slat" armor is our copy of a Russian design. Basically it looks like a Stryker wrapped in a kennel cage, with only horizontal bars. The RPG rounds get stuck in the spaces between the rods and only burn the paint off of the side.

[Leatherneck_MT]

lol I've always looked at reactive armor as having the same effect as wrapping strings of M80's around a trash can and then getting inside, closing the lid and having someone light them off one at a time.

Major headache.