What killed a U.S. tank?

signa · 06-26-2004, 04:09 PM

What killed a U.S. tank?
On Aug. 28, 2003, an unknown munition, thought to be no wider than a pencil, pierced the side of an M1A1 Abrams tank on patrol in Baghdad. The round crippled the 69-ton vehicle and slightly injured its commander and gunner. It was the second Abrams knocked out of commission by the enemy in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now Army officials are trying to figure out what kind of mystery projectile could pierce the Abrams armor and disable it.

* 'Something' felled an M1A1 Abrams tank in Iraq – but what? (more)
* Punching through the Abrams armor –

slide show

http://www.airforcetimes.com/channel.php?GQID=292236#7

Rufus Rhastus J · 06-27-2004, 10:47 AM

Aliens! Heck, I don't know but, you can be sure the gumint knows. They just aren't talking.

Dallas · 06-27-2004, 11:49 AM

There was an article at strategypage.com about this incident when it happened. In fact these same pictures were on the site, but the DOD asked the site to pull them, they didn't want the maker of the weapon to know what damage had been done. Anyway the experts thought that the weapon used was a recent update to the Chinese RPG.

ScottD · 06-27-2004, 01:42 PM

Looks to be maybe a tungsten sabot round.

06-27-2004, 03:08 PM

Maybe our armor isn't that good?

Big Dog · 06-27-2004, 05:45 PM

Given a hard enough projectile at a high enough velocity - no armor made by man is sufficient.
I believe weapon efficiency is getting to the point where no practical vehicle can be made to carry enough armor for protection.
Short of some sort of Star Trekkian type of force shield, we've reached the limit of tank technology. Just like the peasant with a "handegonne" centuries ago spelled doom to the armored Knight - so the half-naked third-world terrorist of today with a hand-held RPG can kill any tank built.
Well, that's progress, I guess . . .

colt45 · 06-27-2004, 07:21 PM

did anyone notice the heat signitures around the penatrations, almsot apear to be weld splaters. what ever it was it was coming in hot. and shows some splatering on impact.

Mandy · 06-27-2004, 09:38 PM

:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult:

Looks to me like the spit from my ex mother in law !

:uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

Lord Shrike · 06-27-2004, 09:43 PM

Our Armor is pretty !!!! good . It could have been shrapnel from an intense explosion or just a freak or nature deal. It hasn't happned since so I wouldn't be to worried about it.

Gyrene · 06-27-2004, 09:44 PM

I changed my mind on what I was going to put here.

Mandy · 06-27-2004, 10:01 PM

:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult:

I bet the DOD has chopped that tank to get whatever was left of the projectile and analize it under the most advanced techniques available, they should know by now what it is and if they don't know yet how to stop it, they're surely working on it.

I think maybe some kind of depleted uranium or the likes.

:uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

Gyrene · 06-28-2004, 12:39 AM

Trust me, it doesn't take magic! There is no mystery, it can be done, and it has been done. Just as there is no irresistable force, there is no impenetrable material, physics regulates what can and what can't be accomplished in this case. Any armor can be defeated, just as any irresistable force can be stopped.

7mmag6 · 06-28-2004, 01:36 AM

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world...FAQ030327.html the author of this piece does not know squat about the abrams armour as it is ceramic chobham with depleted uranium adjunct, and does use reactive armour(speculation). But ive read a couple of other sources that say the kornet is the best suspect

7mmag6 · 06-28-2004, 02:24 AM

http://www.dailyherald.com/special/i...?intID=3770446

Big Dog · 06-28-2004, 05:41 AM

My bet is that it was an errant .17HMR from the Hornady test range.

Hey, with the amazing things claimed for this hot little zinger . . . why not?

Rufus Rhastus J · 06-28-2004, 08:51 AM

Yeah, I like the 17hmr! That little bugger moves out! I'm still considering buying that conversion for the 10/22

06-26-2004, 04:09 PM	#1
signa Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: texas Posts: 53	What killed a U.S. tank? What killed a U.S. tank? On Aug. 28, 2003, an unknown munition, thought to be no wider than a pencil, pierced the side of an M1A1 Abrams tank on patrol in Baghdad. The round crippled the 69-ton vehicle and slightly injured its commander and gunner. It was the second Abrams knocked out of commission by the enemy in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now Army officials are trying to figure out what kind of mystery projectile could pierce the Abrams armor and disable it. * 'Something' felled an M1A1 Abrams tank in Iraq – but what? (more) * Punching through the Abrams armor – slide show http://www.airforcetimes.com/channel.php?GQID=292236#7 __________________ It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.~ Emiliano Zapata

06-27-2004, 10:47 AM	#2
Rufus Rhastus J Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West, Central Florida, Third World America Posts: 6,339 Images: 1	Aliens! Heck, I don't know but, you can be sure the gumint knows. They just aren't talking. __________________ "They cannot be trusted.....The Romulans (our politicos) are without honor." Worf

06-27-2004, 11:49 AM	#3
Dallas PUKHA DAWG Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Virginia, just outside of Washington D.C. Posts: 3,609	There was an article at strategypage.com about this incident when it happened. In fact these same pictures were on the site, but the DOD asked the site to pull them, they didn't want the maker of the weapon to know what damage had been done. Anyway the experts thought that the weapon used was a recent update to the Chinese RPG. Last edited by Dallas; 06-27-2004 at 06:11 PM.

06-27-2004, 01:42 PM	#4
ScottD Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Evanston, IL Posts: 1,020	Looks to be maybe a tungsten sabot round. __________________ "Some people can not live without wilderness"-Aldo Leopold

06-27-2004, 05:45 PM	#6
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,412	Given a hard enough projectile at a high enough velocity - no armor made by man is sufficient. I believe weapon efficiency is getting to the point where no practical vehicle can be made to carry enough armor for protection. Short of some sort of Star Trekkian type of force shield, we've reached the limit of tank technology. Just like the peasant with a "handegonne" centuries ago spelled doom to the armored Knight - so the half-naked third-world terrorist of today with a hand-held RPG can kill any tank built. Well, that's progress, I guess . . . __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

06-27-2004, 03:08 PM	#5
Mr. Kaneko Guest Posts: n/a	Maybe our armor isn't that good?

06-27-2004, 07:21 PM	#7
colt45 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Occupied Territories of New York (Buffalo) Posts: 2,898	did anyone notice the heat signitures around the penatrations, almsot apear to be weld splaters. what ever it was it was coming in hot. and shows some splatering on impact. __________________ "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity" -Sigmund Freud, General Introduction to Psychoanalysis "If guns cause crime, all of mine are defective." - Ted Nugent "Self-defense is Nature's eldest law." -John Dryden

06-27-2004, 09:38 PM	#8
Mandy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico Posts: 1,641	:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: Looks to me like the spit from my ex mother in law ! :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: __________________ :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: Better be judged by 12 than carried by 6. _________________________________ If you gonna die, die with your boots on ! Iron Maiden _________________________________ The deeper you go, the better it feels ! Divers Motto :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

06-27-2004, 09:43 PM	#9
Lord Shrike Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: MOOOOOOOOOOO land also known as Wisconsin Posts: 1,113	Our Armor is pretty !!!! good . It could have been shrapnel from an intense explosion or just a freak or nature deal. It hasn't happned since so I wouldn't be to worried about it. __________________ Taint nuthin a 12 gauge wont solve

06-27-2004, 09:44 PM	#10
Gyrene Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: CA Posts: 886	I changed my mind on what I was going to put here. Last edited by Gyrene; 06-27-2004 at 09:49 PM.

06-27-2004, 10:01 PM	#11
Mandy Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico Posts: 1,641	:assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: I bet the DOD has chopped that tank to get whatever was left of the projectile and analize it under the most advanced techniques available, they should know by now what it is and if they don't know yet how to stop it, they're surely working on it. I think maybe some kind of depleted uranium or the likes. :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: __________________ :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: :assult: Better be judged by 12 than carried by 6. _________________________________ If you gonna die, die with your boots on ! Iron Maiden _________________________________ The deeper you go, the better it feels ! Divers Motto :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi: :uzi:

06-28-2004, 12:39 AM	#12
Gyrene Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: CA Posts: 886	Trust me, it doesn't take magic! There is no mystery, it can be done, and it has been done. Just as there is no irresistable force, there is no impenetrable material, physics regulates what can and what can't be accomplished in this case. Any armor can be defeated, just as any irresistable force can be stopped.

06-28-2004, 01:36 AM	#13
7mmag6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 337 Images: 1	http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world...FAQ030327.html the author of this piece does not know squat about the abrams armour as it is ceramic chobham with depleted uranium adjunct, and does use reactive armour(speculation). But ive read a couple of other sources that say the kornet is the best suspect Last edited by 7mmag6; 06-28-2004 at 02:52 AM.

06-28-2004, 02:24 AM	#14
7mmag6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 337 Images: 1	http://www.dailyherald.com/special/i...?intID=3770446

06-28-2004, 05:41 AM	#15
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,412	My bet is that it was an errant .17HMR from the Hornady test range. Hey, with the amazing things claimed for this hot little zinger . . . why not? __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

06-28-2004, 08:51 AM	#16
Rufus Rhastus J Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West, Central Florida, Third World America Posts: 6,339 Images: 1	Yeah, I like the 17hmr! That little bugger moves out! I'm still considering buying that conversion for the 10/22 __________________ "They cannot be trusted.....The Romulans (our politicos) are without honor." Worf