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Eurosatory 2018: New electromagnetic pulse warhead proposed to defeat APS
14th June 2018 - 11:00 GMT | by Alice Budge in Paris
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The proliferation of active protection systems (APS) on armoured vehicles is one of the major challenges armies face on the battlefield today, with the technology effectively neutralising the threat of many legacy anti-tank missiles.
Now, industry is looking at how armies can once again gain an upper hand with anti-tank missile technology, including systems that utilise electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads, which can knock out a vehicle's electronics and render an APS useless.
One company that is working on such a concept is German-based TDW, a subsidiary of European missile house MBDA, which is continuing development of an EMP warhead designed to jam and debilitate enemy tanks integrated with APS.
A potential weak spot for APS is their reliance on networked sensors to detect and defeat incoming missiles, which are susceptible to electronic attack and jamming. TDW's solution is an all-in-one missile designed to first disable the sensors and electronics with an EM pulse, then follow this with a traditional tank-destroying warhead.
The EMP warhead can be integrated onto different sized missiles and uses a unique system featuring an antenna, an HF source and capacitors.
The main feature of the warhead is the flux compression generator which converts high explosive energy into a high-powered EM pulse.
According to a TDW spokesperson early prototypes of the system have been developed and test fired.
Despite receiving significant interest in the technology, the company is still looking for an initial customer which would enable the warhead to be fully developed and qualified.
‘We have some prototypes and we have done some tests… there are some more steps we need to take before we have a qualified EMP warhead system,’ the spokesperson told Shephard. ‘Further development of the warhead depends on the customer.'
‘At the moment it is a company funded development… which can push the development to a certain level and then the final development is made for customer specific requirements.’
While the warhead is being marketed by TDW worldwide there has been particular interest from European nations concerned by the apparent advance of APS technology integrated on Russia’s new MBT fleets.
‘When you look at Russia’s capabilities, there is a new threat from the development of MBTs and we have had a lot of interest here [Eurosatory 2018] from European delegations,’ the spokesperson said.
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/...tory-2018-new-jamming-warhead-concept-put-te/
Eurosatory 2018: New electromagnetic pulse warhead proposed to defeat APS
14th June 2018 - 11:00 GMT | by Alice Budge in Paris
RSS
The proliferation of active protection systems (APS) on armoured vehicles is one of the major challenges armies face on the battlefield today, with the technology effectively neutralising the threat of many legacy anti-tank missiles.
Now, industry is looking at how armies can once again gain an upper hand with anti-tank missile technology, including systems that utilise electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads, which can knock out a vehicle's electronics and render an APS useless.
One company that is working on such a concept is German-based TDW, a subsidiary of European missile house MBDA, which is continuing development of an EMP warhead designed to jam and debilitate enemy tanks integrated with APS.
A potential weak spot for APS is their reliance on networked sensors to detect and defeat incoming missiles, which are susceptible to electronic attack and jamming. TDW's solution is an all-in-one missile designed to first disable the sensors and electronics with an EM pulse, then follow this with a traditional tank-destroying warhead.
The EMP warhead can be integrated onto different sized missiles and uses a unique system featuring an antenna, an HF source and capacitors.
The main feature of the warhead is the flux compression generator which converts high explosive energy into a high-powered EM pulse.
According to a TDW spokesperson early prototypes of the system have been developed and test fired.
Despite receiving significant interest in the technology, the company is still looking for an initial customer which would enable the warhead to be fully developed and qualified.
‘We have some prototypes and we have done some tests… there are some more steps we need to take before we have a qualified EMP warhead system,’ the spokesperson told Shephard. ‘Further development of the warhead depends on the customer.'
‘At the moment it is a company funded development… which can push the development to a certain level and then the final development is made for customer specific requirements.’
While the warhead is being marketed by TDW worldwide there has been particular interest from European nations concerned by the apparent advance of APS technology integrated on Russia’s new MBT fleets.
‘When you look at Russia’s capabilities, there is a new threat from the development of MBTs and we have had a lot of interest here [Eurosatory 2018] from European delegations,’ the spokesperson said.
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/...tory-2018-new-jamming-warhead-concept-put-te/
