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| Science & Technology |
| Accidental Discovery Aids In EFP Protection |
| 2007-06-20 |
| Everyone knows explosively forged projectiles (EFPs) are an effective weapon against vehicles in Iraq. However, troops in the field have noticed that although EFPs go through metal armor, often glass laminate armor (aka glass ballistic laminate armor) will stop them. Troops report that the EFPs would not go through the bullet proof windows, which are made of glass laminate. However, the glass laminate only works once. When an EFP strikes the glass, the glass "spiderwebs" (shatters laterally and vertically) but it stops the penetrator. Could this be more battlefield rumors? Even if it is, the armor and vehicle R&D crowds need to step in and check it out. |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #10 Space Shuttle tiles don't mass much. That would be good for stuff already overloaded with armor. But I don't know a damn thing about materials. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-06-20 21:42 |
| #9 Why not look towards the source of the EFPs, and bomb them back into the ice age. Because while that may be the ultimate and ideal solution, it isn't an interim one? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-06-20 20:54 |
| #8 From what I have read on this issue, the major advantage of the laminate is that the EFP loses so much of its energy during the spiderwebbing of the laminate, that the projectile is then unable to burn and puncture its way through steel/aluminum armor. So it would seem that another ceramic base that converts heat into crazing damage to its outer layers would be just as effective against EFPs. Plus, if it were to be made in standard sized sections that would be bolted onto the existing armor, one could eliminate a good deal of the threat. Of course, the sections would also have to be able to take direct fire from rifles and machine guns without failing; otherwise, all the terrorists would have to do is setup a daisy chain of IEDs - one that was a Claymore-style weapon, and the others that would be EFPs. The Claymore would strip the ceramic and the EFPs would be detonated like 1-3 seconds later. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-06-20 17:40 |
| #7 Why not look towards the source of the EFPs, and bomb them back into the ice age. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-06-20 15:31 |
| #6 Relatively speaking, the EFP problem is new. You can bet it is getting looked at hard by the R&D folks... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-06-20 13:52 |
| #5 The space shuttle tile is made of a material which is a silica, alumina fiber and borosilicate glass composite. If it can take the heat of reentry, I'd think the science is already available. Just no one looking? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-06-20 12:35 |
| #4 What's the word Phil? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-06-20 12:22 |
| #3 If glass laminate armor does indeed stop EFPs, it does not logically follow that glass laminate is the only thing that would work for that purpose as the article seems to imply. Instead, it should be viewed as a demonstration of a physical principle for defeating EFPs. Cheaper, lighter, more effective anti-EFP armor could likely be made with other materials that needn't be transparent, but use the same physical principles. |
| Posted by: Biff Wellington 2007-06-20 12:15 |
| #2 I should think the slatted armor, or even the wrappings of cyclone fence around vehicles, would be effective at EFP protection. The EFP relies on FOCUS of energy rather than raw power, so anything that distorts its focussing shape before it reaches its intended target should greatly reduce its effectiveness. Similarly, sandbags would likely give more protection per inch or per pound than solid steel. I'm no armorer, so take this for what it's worth. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-06-20 07:35 |
| #1 It is already known : one component of Chobham armor is fused glass rods and ceramics, to help defeat HEAT and EFP. It is just expensive to make it for one shot uses - unless the DoD does a recycle on the rejected glass laminate by approving side plates of the window rejects. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-06-20 03:38 |