MBT Resources >> Modern Armor >> M1 Abrams HEAT Nonpenetration Images

These pictures were taken by an anonymous soldier stationed in an undisclosed country, presumably Iraq, whose platoon of M1 Abrams tanks (exact versions unknown) was reportely hit by seven shaped charge warheads of unknown type.   According to that soldier: "They hit three tanks and all three tanks are still being used.  Plus no one was hurt in any of the attacks.  The M1 series tank is the toughest land vehicle the US has.  It is the only thing that can take these efps [Explosively Forged Projectiles] and still roll.  The pics you are about to see are from a efp that hit my platoon sargeant tank.  It was seven efps in a 2 ft pvc pipe buried 2 ft in the ground.  You can see the copper all over the tank."   If you have assessments or observations to be made regarding these nonpenetrations, please email them to me at ttk2@ciar.org.  Quality observations will be added below each picture, or added below this paragraph if not specific to any picture.  Please specify in your message which picture(s) are being assessed (Picture089, Picture090, etc), and what name you wish to be used to accredit your observations (anonymous contributions are also welcome).

Picture089 Note: Forward three side-skirts (to reader's left) are "ballistic" panels of unknown composite material.  Rear side-skirts (including that one with the huge hole in it) are "nonballistic", consisting of mild steel according to Lakowski.  Some sources claim that ballistic skirts sound hollow when rapped with knuckles, suggesting a cavity (possible spaced plate effect), or foam component (possible whipple shield effect), or honeycomb (possible edge effect).	Picture096
Picture090 Note: Appears to show material in turret side at some depth.	Picture097 Note: Appears to show material in turret side at some depth (close-up of Picture090).
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Picture093 Note: Exposed material in this ballistic side-skirt appears very different from material exposed in turret. According to this source, ballistic side-skirts are made by Corning (which is known to produce advanced materials based on: borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, silicone, polyester, acetal, nylon, polycarbonate, polyphenylenes (oxide and sulfide), ABS, and polystyrene).  US Patent 4879165 makes reference to a Corning ceramic product called "W1" which is suitable for use in armor, perhaps this is it?  Need to find images of HEAT penetration of borosilicate and aluminosilicate glasses and compare to Picture093.	Picture100
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MBT Resources >> Modern Armor >> M1 Abrams HEAT Nonpenetration Images