This is SO cool! It is used as a countermeasure for RPG's and other explosives sent through the air at our forces.
I hope it works on a regular basis, but this video footage looks great!
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
As far as I can tell, it's not an actual forcefield. I think they're shooting a tiny projectile round -- they refer to it as a top-secret countermeasure, so no details are forthcoming -- to intercept and detonate the explosive at the front of the rocket (which is why radar has to track the RPG the entire way, and why it only works within a given range, and why it can't affect torpedoes or missiles). That said, this sort of active/adaptive defense system has been a long time coming for tanks, and I think reflects the modern use of the tank and/or personnel carrier as a "base" targeted by low-rent guerilla attacks. It's a good idea.
Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
That said, it seems odd that we'd TELL people that our top-secret anti-RPG measure requires a radar lock. So perhaps it doesn't, and it's a forcefield (or microwave beam or something) after all; I certainly didn't see any tiny projectile on any of the tapes.
Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
I thought I saw some projectiles. In the event it is projectile based what is the effects it has on nearby soft targets such as support troops and noncoms?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Still, forcefield or tank-wiz, it seems very cool.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
looking at it again I did see projectiles, and I was able (even in the simulation) to see something firing on the tank.
Looks like it uses a shotgun area-effect blast to take out the warhead.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
They called it "Trophy?"
Somebody at the Pentagon has been watching too much Homestar.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
very nice.
Hope it can work on two or more targets.
--j_k
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Did you actually see projectiles firing from the REAL footage of tanks, or just the CGI footage? I'm wondering whether they put that into the CGI just to make people like me suspect it's a projectile.
Because TELLING people that we're going to shoot radar-guided projectiles to intercept their rockets is a bad idea.
Posted by Boothby171 (Member # 807) on :
Guys: "forcefields" do not exist.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
While forcefields don't exist, I could easily imagine using a field or beam to excite incoming explosives. My gut feeling is that we don't have the tech for this just yet, but it's also within the realm of the possible.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: They called it "Trophy?"
Somebody at the Pentagon has been watching too much Homestar.
Could just be a translation of what the Israelis call it. It's their toy.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Could just be a translation of what the Israelis call it.
Trophy=Double-You Tee Eff?!
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
Pretty.... oh, uh...hi. I don't care what they call it, it's a good idea for a defense system. An' that's all that matters.
Sea-wiz sucks by the way. Especially when they test it. Those units are LOUD. But then so is the replacement system for Sea-wiz. Sea Sparrow. The supply stock room for my division is on the other side of the bulkhead from one of the launchers. We can't hear the ship's announcing system that well in the machinery spaces, so we never heard that they were going to test them. about 20 minutes later...yeah, Micah and I had ears a ringing.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Sounds like a great step forward though. Posted by calaban (Member # 2516) on :
Wiki says: "The system is designed to have a very small kill zone so the lethality outside that zone is small. People standing next to the vehicle should not be affected by the firing of the TROPHY system."
Hopefully that is an accurate statement. What exactly is "very small"? I don't imagine it would be exciting to provide close support to a vehicle with an automatically targeted shotgun sitting on it's side.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Considering how many of the "close support" people would ahve died if the tank/APV exploded, I would say most of them would prefer this option. Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Calaban, anyone standing that close to a tank that is hit by a LIVE rpg are probably dead or heavily injured anyways. I'd call this an improvement no matter where you are standing.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Calaban, anyone standing that close to a tank that is hit by a LIVE rpg are probably dead or heavily injured anyways. I'd call this an improvement no matter where you are standing.
Uh, wouldn't they be dead anyways? I mean, the system is designed to prematurely detonate the rpg. So, it doesn't hit the tank, but it does hit lots of stuff between the tank and the path of the rocket.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Depends on where you're standing, and how TROPHY shreds the warhead.
If you're standing between the rocket and the tank, I'd imagine you're screwed no matter what. If you're standing behind the tank, I'd imagine you're safer with TROPHY taking it out.
It boils down to this: If you're standing anywhere near a tank hit by an RPG, anywhere in the 360 degree radius, you will either be killed or heavily injured by shrapnel.
If you're standing BEHIND a tank, or maybe even off to the side when TROPHY takes out the warhead, you're probably going to survive, maybe even without injury.
At the very least, in addition to protecting the people IN the tank, it protects more people around than not having it at all.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:Uh, wouldn't they be dead anyways? I mean, the system is designed to prematurely detonate the rpg. So, it doesn't hit the tank, but it does hit lots of stuff between the tank and the path of the rocket.
I would say this depends on which side of the tank you are standing. On the opposite side, you might have some shrapnel wounds, but probably okay, where without this technology you would be dead. The same side, well, it would be a closed casket either way.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)