LOSAT Weapon System...tested.

Lockheed Martin has conducted its first successful testing of LOSAT. LOSAT stands for "Line-of-sight anti-tank" Weapons System, which fires a kinetic energy missile or KEM.

www.lockheedmartin.com...

The implications of this weapon as with the testing of the "Rail Gun" or EM gun and its implications (ie: thread on the EM gun), lends one to think that the age of MBT's and armored fighting vehicles maybe drawing to a close and if not to a close, certainly to the point that their dominance on the battlefield will certainly be questioned.

"The LOSAT Weapon System provides a high volume of extremely lethal and accurate missile fire that is effective against heavy armor systems at ranges exceeding tanks' main gun ranges.'"

Is this the end of MBT's (main battle tank) dominance of the battlefield? Will the advent of this weapon system cause the world's armies to have to change armored tactics and there uses?
Opinions appreciated and welcome.

regards
seekerof

I believe that there will be tanks and other armoured vehicles on the battlefield for many more years. Not many countries can afford the new weapons or vehicles. Also the people the US is going to face will probaly not have the new weapons or vehicles. So I believe the tank and such have quite a few more years till they are pulled of the battlefield, but by then there will probaly be protection against the new weapons. The arms race never stops. You build something that can destroy one thing and you make that one thing have protecting againts that thing. It's is a cycle that we will probaly never break. I do agree that tank commanders will have to change their tactics a bit though.

[Edited on 30-7-2003 by jetsetter]

I agree somewhat jetsetter.
What I was implying was like what the advent of aircraft carriers, as applied to their use in the Pacific, concluded: that though the Battleship was a great and powerful military weapons platform, the carriers foreshadowed their eventual demise of dominance from the seas.

This is how I see the advents of LOSAT and the EM gun.
I do agree that armored vehicles will also continue to evolve in light of these threats but that the armored tactics would also have to alter and change.

regards
seekerof

To further add to this is an article I just found indicating that the US Army is testing "scramjet" tank rounds.

Article: "Army tests scramjet to power kinetic energy tank rounds."





"Accelerated to Mach 5 by the time it leaves the 120 mm gun of the Abrams tank, the standard M289A2 kinetic-energy round uses a finned "dart" to penetrate opposing tank armor and devastate the crew compartment without an explosive warhead. In Operation Desert Storm, one such penetrator reportedly pierced two Iraqi T-72 tanks parked side-by-side."

www.nationaldefensemagazine.org...


regards
seekerof


[Edited on 1-8-2003 by Seekerof]

[Edited on 1-8-2003 by Seekerof]

[Edited on 1-8-2003 by Seekerof]

I've seen the video somewhere before, its really rather spectacular and worth the searching.

Originally posted by David
I've seen the video somewhere before, its really rather spectacular and worth the searching.

Thanks David.
I have been amassing a collection of video from online as is and I will certainly see if I can locate the one you have mentioned.

regards
seekerof

If that scamjet round comes out, no armoured vehicle will be safe.

As we have weapon systems that can already, eliminate armored vehicles including the Abrams. The Javelin is just one, believe me that baby rocks compared to everything else. Even the Dragon does not compare to the power. And as for MBTs not being used or replaced, I think not. as the newer weapon systems are most likely going to be add ons and replacements for the current systems.

Thanks for sharing this.

But, let's keep in mind a couple of important issues about this press release:

1. It is released by the developing contractor.
2. 6 inches is less than a kilometer.

interesting hmm i wonder how arena and shtora-1 systems will effect this.

[Edited on 1-8-2003 by $tranger]

Originally posted by $tranger
interesting hmm i wonder how arena and shtora-1 systems will effect this.

[Edited on 1-8-2003 by $tranger]

Don't "hmmm" too much there $tranger.......
I just found this article stating thus:
"The Russians claim that it will work against kinetic energy rounds as well as ATGM's. This may be optimistic. Indeed the whole system is still unproven...."

"The Most Powerful Enemy of a Main Battle Tank"
babriet.tripod.com...

regards
seekerof



[Edited on 2-8-2003 by Seekerof]

This thread has the links to the LOSAT videos :

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Ran across this today mentioning that a compact kenetic energy missile/round has been successfully tested and moved to "Advanced Tech Demo".


"The Combat Kinetic Energy Missile leaves the launch rail during a flight test."


"A fireball from the Combat Kinetic Energy Missile's impact on a main battle tank is demonstrated as part of a high-speed rail test."

Article:
"Compact Kinetic Energy Missile Moves to Advanced Tech Demo"
Link:
www.rdecom.army.mil...

Excerpt:

"......According to George Snyder, program manager, the Compact Kinetic Energy Missile weapon system is lighter, smaller, faster, smarter and more lethal. The Compact Kinetic Energy Missile ATD will develop and demonstrate an advanced anti-armor weapon system comprised of two primary components. These components include (1) a compact kinetic energy missile, based heavily on missile technologies the center currently is developing and demonstrating and (2) a fire control system (based primarily on Future Combat System-compatible components), which will be integrated into a combat vehicle and tested in a series of flight tests, including engagements against threat-representative armor and other hardened targets at ranges to 5 km or greater.

The challenge is to demonstrate that a dramatically smaller missile (half the size of the current kinetic energy missile) can provide overmatch lethality against current tanks and future threat armor. Tracking threat-representative targets and engaging three targets within 10 seconds are among other capabilities that will be demonstrated. Separate lethality tests and simulations will be conducted to confirm overmatch lethality against the projected threat, including Explosive Reactive Armor.......

"The (missile) will provide current Light Force and the Objective Force a 'one shot-one kill' capability against tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as bunkers and buildings at extended ranges. It will destroy the target with devastating results and overwhelming lethality."


regards
seekerof

[Edited on 8-1-2004 by Seekerof]