Stealth.Another way of avoiding hits from the enemy is to remain as inconspicuous as possible, to the naked eye or to the heat sensor--or even better, to both. Reductions in signature will reduce the range at which an armoured fighting vehicle An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged terrain. Armored fighting vehicles are classified according to their intended role on the battlefield and characteristics. can be detected by surveillance sensors on the seeker heads of 'smart' anti-tank missiles or munitions mu·ni·tion n. War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural. tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions To supply with munitions. . The top deck of the powerplant compartment is a strong source of infrared energy, making armoured vehicles vulnerable to top-attack heat-seeking weapons. According to the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (Ukrainian: Харківське Конструкторське Бюро , modifications devised by its engineers can reduce the thermal signature of the T-84 tank by a factor of between 5-7, the radar signature by a factor of 3 to 5, and the visual signature by a factor of 1.5. Schemes being offered by the Bureau to reduce the infrared output of the power pack compartment include adding thermal insulation to the top deck, and ventilating ventilating Natural or mechanically induced movement of fresh air into or through an enclosed space. The hazards of poor ventilation were not clearly understood until the early 20th century. Expired air may be laden with odors, heat, gases, or dust. it with cool air. Giat's Demonstrateur Furtif a Chenille--an AMX-30-based stealth demonstrator vehicle--takes this concept a stage further. The vehicle has a double-skin construction within which cooling air is circulated. The running gear and suspension system are other sources of unwanted IR energy. As we have seen in paragraphs concerning suspension, shock absorbers create heat as they absorb mechanical energy, while hysteresis hysteresis (hĭs'tərē`sĭs), phenomenon in which the response of a physical system to an external influence depends not only on the present magnitude of that influence but also on the previous history of the system. losses in rubber components such as tires and rubber-bushed and rubber-padded tracks all generate heat energy. Side skirts can be used to cover much of the running gear and suspension, screening these components from infrared and radar-based sensors. This approach was taken on the Demonstrateur Furtif a Chenille che·nille n. 1. A soft tufted cord of silk, cotton, or worsted used in embroidery or for fringing. 2. Fabric made of this cord, commonly used for bedspreads or rugs. , and has been proposed for the T-84. It will be interesting to see, in this respect, how manufacturers will cope with the heat generated by motor-equipped wheels when hybrid propulsion comes of age. The Swedish FMV FMV - full-motion video , for its part, has taken delivery of a stealth demonstrator built by a group including Alvis Hagglunds (platform), Bofors Defence (turret and weapons), Saab Barracuda (camouflage and surface treatment) and SaabTech (sensors). |
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