Re: [MV] Abrams Tank Disabled by Mystery Round

From: rertman@ix.netcom.com
Date: Thu Nov 06 2003 - 09:08:41 PST


Hey, Steve, watch out with that "geek" stuff. I were one! LOL

Dick
Retired Lockheed Skunk Works Engineer
Geek Department
Division of Redundancy Division :)

Steve Grammont wrote:
>
> >Funny, I had someone try to tell me that a picture of a T72 on a
> >trailer in Texas was proof of a UN build up in the US. My response
> >was, "no you dork, they're taking it to a range to blow it up with
> >our newest weapons!"
>
> I was present for such a test so I can verify that they go "boom" quite
> nicely :-) There was a yard full of 1950s-1970s Soviet stuff they use
> for target practice. Oh, and several Sgt Yorks too. Now there is an
> expensive target :-(
>
> >They probably knew they penetrated when the crew in the tank went all
> >angry on them. A wounded TC getting hauled out probably didn't help
> >for letting them know they got to the soft squshy inside of the tank.
> >I'll bet the Halon going off didn't do much for keeping it a secret.
>
> Circumstantial evidence is of course useful, but for something this
> technical it isn't all that important. Especially if the gunner didn't
> stick around to observe the exact location hit and the type of damage it
> caused.
>
> >A few flukes don't make a killer weapon.
>
> True. I don't think anybody is saying that exactly. It is more like
> "was it expected that x weapon could do y damage". This is the question
> we would like to know and not the bad guys.
>
> >The thing is, this isn't an example of a kill in my mind.
>
> I partially agree with you there. But in this type of warfare
> definitions are more gray than B&W. As far as I know by tactical
> definition if the crew is forced to abandon the vehicle during its
> mission, it is a "kill". For that little firefight, the tank was
> effectively put out of action. Recoverability and repairability is an
> operational issue, so from that standpoint this was not a kill. Although
> because of the novelty of the hit I assume this vehicle won't be back in
> service any time soon if at all. Lots of geeks with pocket protectors
> will want to have a looksie before they shove it back out into the streets :-)
>
> Steve
>
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