Multi-layered inertial reactive armour

Grant Funding 2021-2023 Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The project will explore, via extensive modelling, simulations and test validation, the parametric design space for the proposed architecture, resulting in optimal design recommendations, and develop and demonstrate a technology and prototypes of a novel highly effective and lightweight inertial reactive armour for the protection of military vehicles.

We propose to explore a novel reactive armour configuration employing a plurality of thin overlapping tiles in a staggered configuration over two or more layers, each tile containing an active disc element that is set to rotate rapidly upon impact to effectively deflect and disrupt highly energetic penetrators such as Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) kinetic projectiles and High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) molten metal jets, by means of a transverse inertial exchange, causing them to buckle rapidly. The proposed technology is thinner and more compact than current reactive armours while granting superior protection, irrespective of the penetrator’s angle of incidence.

The findings of these studies will be verified by the production and limited laboratory testing of scaled models under controlled conditions –in consideration of the limitations of the provided budget – using projectile energies of up to 3.2kJ (scale 1:2000). The experiments will utilise high-velocity rifle rounds, specially formed from tungsten blanks to resemble (at scale) the geometry of APDS penetrators, fired at near point black range at various angles, to ensure the repeatability of the impacts. The test specimens will use an independent high speed spindle motor to accelerate the inertial discs just prior to the tests, to allow the precise adjustment of the rotating speed as an independent test parameter and remove the need for using explosive charges for additional safety of the research personnel. For various combinations of operational and design parameters, depth of penetration and energy absorption will be recorded and benchmarked versus a standard steel armour and a steel spaced armour benchmark prototype. High speed camera footage at frame rates between 50 kfps up to 2 Mfps combined with reflective photoelastic coatings applied to the armour specimens will be used to observe the phenomena in detail and assess the agreement with the simulated behaviours. Post-testing, the fractured surfaces of both the armour specimens and the projectiles will be examined with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to reveal and confirm the modalities of the failure.
This novel Inertial Reactive Armour (IRA) will open a new gateway to active armour protection, leading to more light weight vehicles with increased battlefield survivability and improved performance over ERA.