Originally posted by centurion1211
Originally posted by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi
Did you even watch the video?
Yes
1) It may stop the first rocket, but it's not going to stop the next dozen rockets, or multiple rockets at once from all directions.
The video shows it stopping multiple rockets from all directions. And how many situations occur where more than a couple rockets are fired before the people shooting them are mowed down?
Well, I've never been in such combat before. Not by choice either.
However, if I was going to take out an enemy vehicle, and this deployed on my first rocket, I would logically hit it again. I don't think I would be shot after my first rocket attack because I would not be stupid enough to attack a convoy by myself, nor without planned ambush tactics.
2) It's not going to end up well for buddies outside of the vehicle, which is why I am skeptical about placing this on a hummer like in the video.
The video addresses this, too, saying nearby items were not harmed.
We're talking about a active protection system that automatically shoots off a projectile to intercept an incoming projectile. Anybody standing anywhere close to the interception point isn't going to be standing after deployment of the APS.
www.army-guide.com...
"A projectile is launched at the direction of the incoming threat, to intercept and destroy it at a distance of 30 meters from the protected vehicle."
And again, this is addressed in the video with the rocket destroyed after first travelling through a vehicle driving past the target. You would think the 2nd vehicle would have interfered with the defensive system, but it did not.
Why would another vehicle interfere with the APS? What does the second vehicle have to do with anything about the effectiveness of the APS?
No, I would think that if this APS was deployed in a real combat situation against a capable enemy (such as Russia, who has developed APS for decades and knows how to beat them through tactics, weapons and jammers), then the vehicle might survive for slightly longer than without it when facing perhaps a squad armed with RPGs (typical of Russian infantry and guerellas alike).
However, this APS wouldn't be as effective against incoming modern anti-tank missiles, especially if they are deployed with APS-defeating measures (even newer RPG-models are designed with this in mind). What if an RPO round is intercepted? I doubt the APS is going to stop the vehicle from getting hit by flammable material, which would really mess with the thermal optics designed to automatically track an enemy launch.
APS can do nothing against rifled rounds, like a 125mm HEAT.
ateuprto-
Hate to tell you, this type of detonation sure as hell beats an uncontrolled detonation of an RPG, in or outside the vehicle.
The most logical and practical use of this technology would be on patrols, but the dwindling insurgency prefers remotely detonated IEDs these days as compared to the full-on ambush.
First off, a hard-kill APS is designed to intercept the trajectory of the incoming projectile; not to destroy it (though it will probably disable the weapon if hit anyways). This is specifically to deny kinetic penetration, which is important since there's a lot of anti-armor missiles/rockets out there these days. This is also another reason why I don't see why this would be deployed on anything other than heavy armoured units.
Secondly, yes, this is obviously designed with insurgency in mind. Most insurgents aren't armed with sophisticated anti-tank weapons, so an APS system would be beneficial.
However, in a scenerio where two conventional forces engage each other, APS would prove to be too costly to deploy in a war of numbers vs numbers. APS systems are more practical for elite armored units, who can efficiently field such technology without being destroyed as easily as your regular front-line units.
Don't get me wrong, I think APS are great. However, they aren't very practical in anything other than specialized warfare (like fighting insurgents or special forces). APS doesn't stop advanced anti-tank guided missiles, especially since they tend to be much faster, larger (more mass to defeat), sophisticated (maneuverability), and supported ("counter-countermeasures", integrated combat). If it can stop a Hellfire or Khrizantema or Vihkr, then I will be impressed.
edit on 1-7-2011 by Dimitri Dzengalshlevi because: (no reason given)
