WinSPMBTver3.0 Info

[JaM]

TOW-2B is a top attack ATGM with EFP, TOW-2A has dual charge warhead and direct attack.

[BaronvonBeer]

Right, it has 2 warheads, but the warheads do not act anything like a HEAT charge, they are completely different beasts.

It forms 2 ballistic penetrators (these are solid mass plates compressed to a bullet(ish) shape, not the super heated/pressurized "jet" of a HEAT warhead. The extent of their similarity is the shape of the explosives within the missile upon detonation. It is at that point that it ends.

These 2 "warheads" are not dual charge in the sense of a HEAT round, with a "spoiling" charge to trigger ERA. It has both going off simultaneously at different angles to ensure a hit as the missile overflies the target.

As far as ERA, there is no "jet" to be disturbed. It is a solid mass kinetic penetrator, same as any AP round fired from a gun tube.
Here is a photo of a "formed" EFP.

It does not possess the penetration potential of a similar sized HEAT round, but that is not needed to punch through the roof, and largely nullifies ERA same as a SABOT. If it does penetrate though, it has a higher damage potential, creating a larger breach, spalling and all the other nastiness created by a traditional KEP.

As far as in game, the considerations are, how does the 2-B currrently interact with ERA? It should be performing as any other solid AP shot. After that, it's penetration potential. Unless a TA munition's Pen value is divided, the 2-B should be a great deal less.

Now SP clearly must make approximations (both in direct and indirect ways). Simply wondering if as is, it is the best one for this system, and if it is both over & undercapable under different circumstances as a result.

[Marcello]

"So esentially the 2B is a dual charge warhead"

Not exactly.There are two warheads but it is not a multicharge, the two warheads point in different directions. The TOW-2B, or the BILL 2 for that matter, are not "top attack" in the same sense the Javelin is. They fly horizontally like like a conventional ATGM but instead of hitting the tank directly they overfly it.When the missile is above the target the warheads, which point towards the ground, are ignited. This is less complicated than a Javelin style approach.

[Smersh]

# T-72 - Original version, optical range-finder.

# T-72A - Added side skirts, additional armour, laser range-finder, electronic fire control system, smoke grenade launchers.

# T-72B - Thicker armour, composite armour in front of turret and front of hull. AT-11 "Svir" laser-guided antitank missile capability. Has the thickened frontal turret armor and is commonly known in the United States as the Dolly Parton.

# T-72AV, T-72BV - models with early Kontakt explosive reactive armour ("V" for vzryvnoi ‘explosive’).

# T-72B1 - T-72B without ATGM capability.

# T-72BK - Command version of T-72B, recognizable by having multiple radio antennas.

# T-72B(M) - T-72B equipped with advanced Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour, composite armour in sides of turret as well.

# T-72M - Soviet export version, similar to T-72A (built also in Poland and ex-Czechoslovakia).

# T-72M1 - Soviet export version, with thicker armour (built also in Poland and ex-Czechoslovakia).

[Marek_Tucan]

Just a note, T-72A and M1 got composite armour on turret, T-72M was basically cast-turret T-72 upgraded to T-72A/M1 standard in FC, ammo storage, smoke grenade launchers and side skirts (and LRF).
For example Czechoslovakia had:
T-72 - original Soviet supply, optical RF
T-72 - Czechoslovakian production, LRF
T-72M - see above
T-72M1 - as M, with comp. armor

Of course, lately also T-72M4CZ

[JaM]

Actually there were two versions of T-72A. First 1978 with standard glacis armor(330mm against KE) and 1983 with additional glacis armor (+16mm HHS = 400mm against KE). Same armor addon was used in T-72M1, So we can say that T-72A 1978 = T-72M, T72A 1983 = T-72M1

[Djuice]

According to certain sources Russian T-72A never received the 16mm HHS upgrade for their T-72A, but the ones in the their inventory were actually T-72M1, possibly stock that they couldn't sell.

[JaM]

Hm,can you post link. In my sources i found that all tanks(T-64A,T-72A,T-64B) were upgraded after tests with Israli M111 wich was capable to penetrate standard glacis from 1500-2000m.