Wow!, Bradley's knocking out T-72s?

[Mini D]

That can't aply to the sides too baroda.  The tank is only 11 1/2 feet wide.  With 2 feet per track and 2 1/2' per armor side, that would leave about 2 1/2 feet of total width.  Since the entrance seems to be close to that itself, and offset (not allowing 2 1/2 feet even to the side of the turret), I'll have to call bs.

I did notice references that have refered to pitches on the armor too.  With the armor being thicker at the bottom and tapered at the top (on the turret specifically).  Starting at 950mm and "thinning" to 500mm.

I have to say... its about a foot thicker than I was thinking it would be regardless.

MiniD

[Pongo]

I miss spoke. Wasnt the 100 on the T54/55 also a smooth bore gun..

[Pongo]

As for defeats - "it's the man, not the machine". Soviet military think that Arabs are not soldiers. They simply can't fight. That's why Iraqi defence looks like a surprise, even like a miracle... Compare the results of Arab tankers and Israelis fighting in the same T-55s...

To the rest of the world the Syrians and Egytians fought just like WW2 Russians. Only without the depths of reserves to take WW2 russian level casualties.

[GRUNHERZ]

Originally posted by Pongo
I miss spoke. Wasnt the 100 on the T54/55 also a smooth bore gun..

No it was a standard rifled WW2 tank gun.

[miko2d]

Pongo: To the rest of the world the Syrians and Egytians fought just like WW2 Russians. Only without the depths of reserves to take WW2 russian level casualties.

 That is pretty much true. My uncle was wounded in a Kursk battle in a T-34. Sending them head-on into the enemy fire was a pretty standard method of the soviet command.
 Since they could not run away, like egyptians did, their casualties were enormous.

 miko

[ccvi]

Originally posted by Mathman
Velocity is more important than mass.  The simple Kenetic energy equation shows this:  E = 1/2 mv^2.  What that says is that if you double the mass, you double the kenetic energy.  If you double the velocity, you quadruple the kenetic energy.

If a certain minimum level of E is exceeded it doesn't matter much if it increased further. For a given projectile the maximum penetration depth is limited mainly by (edit: remove shape, add) length and density of mass, no matter how much kinetic energy it has, if E it exceeds the minumum required.

[Boroda]

Originally posted by ccvi
If a certain minimum level of E is exceeded it doesn't matter much if it increased further. For a given projectile the maximum penetration depth is limited mainly by shape and density of mass, no matter how much kinetic energy it has, if E it exceeds the minumum required.

The physics of the process is too complicated to be described in terms of high-school classes. Some processes can't even be described using current state of mathematics.

The only thing you can rely on is practice, experiments. Last problem in explosive/impact theory solved analyticaly was the "powerfull singular explosion". The book was published in USSR in spring, 1945, and in summer, after Hiroshima, rapidly removed from libraries. All later studies use experimental data and numerical methods. No common solutions.

[jamusta]

Heres what I found which is basically the same that I was taught in the military. Except I was told the engine was only 780hp V12. Also told that It only could penetrate M1 armor up to 1k.


Designations T-72S (export), SMT M1988
Date of Introduction 1985
Proliferation Current Using Countries (all models of T-72)
Algeria Angola Armenia
Azerbaijan Belarus Boznia-Herz.
Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic
Finland Georgia Hungary
India Iran Iraq
Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Libya
Poland Romania Russia
Slovakia Syria Tajikistan
Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan
Yugoslavia United States (in displays)
 
Description  
Crew 3
Combat Weight (mt) 44.5
Chassis Length Overall (m) 6.91
Height Overall (m) 2.19
Width Overall (m) 3.58
Ground Pressure (kg/cm 2 ) 0.90
Automotive Performance  
Engine Type 840-hp Diesel
Cruising Range (km) 500/ 900 with external tanks
Speed (km/h)  
Max Road 60
Max Off-Road 45
Average Cross-Country 35
Max Swim N/A
Fording Depths (m) 1.2 Unprepared/5.0 with snorkel
Radio R-173 and R-134
Protection  
Armor, Turret Front (mm) 520/950 against HEAT
Applique Armor (mm) Side of hull over track skirt, turret top
Explosive Reactive Armor (mm) Kontakt or Kontakt-5 ERA
Active Protective System Arena available
Mineclearing Equipment Roller-plow set, and plows available
Self-Entrenching Blade Yes
NBC Protection System Yes
Smoke Equipment Smoke grenade launchers (8x 81-mm left side of turret), and 32 grenades. Vehicle engine exhaust smoke system.
ARMAMENT  
Main Armament  
Caliber, Type, Name 125-mm smoothbore gun 2A46M/ D-81TM
Rate of Fire (rd/min) 4-6/2 in manual mode
Loader Type Autoloader (separate loading) and manual
Ready/Stowed Rounds 22/23
Elevation (°) -6 to +14
Fire on Move Yes, up to 25 km/h. Depending on the road and distance to the target, most crews may halt before firing.
Auxiliary Weapon  
Caliber, Type, Name 7.62-mm (7.62x 54R) Machinegun PKT
Mount Type Turret coax
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 2,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day 1,000
Night 800
Fire on Move Yes
Rate of Fire (rd/min) 250 practical, 600 cyclic in 2-10 round bursts
Caliber, Type, Name 12.7-mm (12.7x108) AA MG NSVT
Mount Type Turret top
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 2,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day 1,500/1,000 antiaircraft
Night N/A
Fire on Move Yes
Rate of Fire (rd/min) 200 practical, 600 cyclic in bursts
ATGM Launcher  
Name 2A46M
Launch Method Gun-launched
Guidance SACLOS, Laser beam rider
Command Link Encoded infrared laser beam
Launcher Dismountable No
FIRE CONTROL  
FCS Name 1A40-1
Main Gun Stabilization 2E42-2, 2-plane
Rangefinder TPD-K1M laser rangefinder
Infrared Searchlight Yes
Sights w/Magnification  
Gunner  
Day TPD-K1, 8
Field of View (°) 9
Acquisition Range (m) 3,000 with LRF, 5,000 without
ATGM/Night 1K13-495 5.6x (8x ATGM)
Field of View (°) 6, 40 min (5 ATGM)
Acquisition Range (m) INA
Commander Fire Main Gun No
MAIN ARMAMENT AMMUNITION  
Caliber, Type, Name  
125-mm APFSDS-T, BM-42M  
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 3,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day 2,000-3,000
Night 850-1,300
Armor Penetration (mm) 590-630 at 2,000 meters
125-mm Frag-HE-T, OF-26  
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 5,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day INA
Night 850-1,300
Armor Penetration (mm) INA
125-mm HEAT-MP, BK-29M  
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 3,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day INA
Night 850-1300
Armor Penetration (mm) 650-750
125-mm HEAT, BK-27  
Maximum Aimed Range (m) 3,000
Max Effective Range (m)  
Day INA
Night 850-1,300
Armor Penetration (mm) 700-800
Other Ammunition Types Giat 125G1 APFSDS-T, Russian BM-42
and BM-32 APFSDS-T. Note The Russians may have a version of the BM-42M with a DU penetrator.
Antitank Guided Missiles  
Name AT-11/SVIR
Warhead Type Shaped charge (HEAT)
Armor Penetration (mm ) 700 behind ERA/800 conventional
Range (m) 4,000
Name AT-11B/INVAR
Warhead Type Tandem Shaped charge (HEAT)
Armor Penetration (mm ) 800 behind ERA /870 conventional
Range (m) 4,000

[AKIron]

Originally posted by ccvi
If a certain minimum level of E is exceeded it doesn't matter much if it increased further. For a given projectile the maximum penetration depth is limited mainly by (edit: remove shape, add) length and density of mass, no matter how much kinetic energy it has, if E it exceeds the minumum required.

I'm really not sure what you mean here. What do you think a small 22 caliber bullet would do to the turret of a T-72 hitting it at say a tenth of C? You did say "no matter how much kinetic energy it has."

[ccvi]

Originally posted by AKIron
I'm really not sure what you mean here. What do you think a small 22 caliber bullet would do to the turret of a T-72 hitting it at say a tenth of C? You did say "no matter how much kinetic energy it has."

It wouldn't penetrate. It would vaporize on it's way to the target releasing the energy of rougly 1/20th atomic bomb.