TANK PROTECTION LEVELS OF THE 1990S (SW M 91-20017)

Created: 5/20/1991

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CIA SPECIAL CC4JJBCTIONS RELEASE AS SANITIZED

DIRECTORATE OF 1HTELLICEHCE1

TAHK PROTECTION LEVELS OFUWiART

we assess the frontal protection levels aoainat Jr.iiM.rtvy rounds Of Soviet tanks of the

.aTr-WsJs w - Fo' Sovietd

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INTKLLIGKHCE

OR Mfc-TllODS

SuBJfXr: Tank Protection Levels of

Our estimate of the KE protection levels (or Soviet tanks of thes are summarized below (for the frontal arc* in millimeters of steel/ equivalent):

He would add, however, that these arc probably lower bounds, given the many developments now underway that would increase protection levels, but by amounts that arc difficult to quancify at this time. These include:

o Advanced ceramic materialsnotably improvements in silicon carbide

_3ana possible ticicung ol ooron nitride armor in the future.

o Explosive reactive armor optimized against KEe do not know the extent of Soviet RtD- in this area bul consider it likely tor the, if they have not already developed it.

O Active protection systemsecent information

indicates that the Soviets have already begunystem designed mainly against ATCMs IonD noderniied tankj . We believe the Soviets are developing KOopiiraiicd active protection systems for fielding by the.

o Unconventional tank designshe Soviets are probably continuing to experiment with reduced-volume turret designs and may yet succeed in fieldingank, which presumably would havn substantiallv greater frontal protection.

we believe that, for the loieseeable lutuie. Soviet amored vehicles win continue to represent the most important threats against which US systems should be designed. Worldwide. Soviet armored vehicles will continue to set the quality standards and will be present in substantial numbers. The principal reason for thishat the Soviets arc aggressively marketing new military systems years earlier than they have inrder to compete successfully tie hard currency in the woild anss market, for example, at an internationallubltionalaysia inhr Soviets publicly offered thehichic<-. laser-guided antitank missile and piobably contains CCrainic anus:. They also Offered their (Jim generation reactive atmor lor sale at the same show.

SUBJECT: Tank Protection Levels of

Besides Che Soviet Union, other countries alio nayor_art-ored vehicles with significant KEI

I

Despite the success of US systems durinq the Gulf War, the armor threat we faced fron Iraq does not approach the potential threat us forces could face in the. The defeat ol the Iraqi armored force wasected. given that we had deployed our best available technology against technology generallyoears oldthe armor technology in Iraq'sas first fielded with the Soviet Amy in4 ;f' ne technology inanks probably was fielded in0 by. Ii curient armor technology export trends continue, we may not always be so fortunate in the future.

The adrt-on armor found on some captured Iraqi tanks further shows that relatively advanced armor technology can be tra-stcrred to the Third world. The armor consisted of aluminum, rubber, and steel laminatespaced array. Tests have shown this oe3ign to have twice the effectiveness ot steel against shaped charge weapons, though no more effectiveness than steel against KE rounds. This -burster plate" technology has beenhe Host since theus.C

s entirety possible that, in tnc tulurc, KE-effectivc armors will transferred lo Third world countries through similar channels. "

Original document.

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