11.06.2005, 19:16
Zitat:Canada works on hypervelocity anti-armour missile programmeQuelle:
Christopher F Foss
Canada is working on a High-Energy Missile (HEMi) programme to meet the potential future requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The key aim of the programme is to demonstrate the concept of a small hypervelocity missile that would provide the firepower of a 70-ton main battle tank (MBT) in a light combat vehicle.
Project Definition of the HEMi was carried out under Phase 0 between April 2000 and April 2001 at a cost of C$400,000 (US$321,000). Phase 1 started in April 2001 and is due to run through to March 2006. During this phase a number of key objectives are required to be met, including system concept definition, detailed component design, demonstration of components and a military utility study.
One of the key requirements is that the HEMi must be able to penetrate a minimum of 1,000 mm of conventional rolled homogenous armour (RHA), have a maximum length of 1.21 m and have a launch weight of 22.4 kg. The projected low weight will enable more rounds to be carried on the platform.
It also must have a minimum velocity of 2,250 m/s at ranges of between 400 m and 5,000 m. (A typical currently fielded 120 mm armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot [APFSDS] projectile fired from a tank gun has a muzzle velocity of around 1,600 m/s that decreases with range.)
A number of lethality achievements have already been made covering the key areas of lethality, propulsion, aerodynamics, structure, guidance and control, modelling and simulation, and operational research. These include optimised segmented rod parameters, 12 gun-validation firing tests and the firing of segmented rods against active armour. The first firing of a segmented rod took place in December 2004.
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