New Type98/99 MBT thread

[no_name]

Modern military infrastructure is protected from EMPs. A Faraday cage or something to that extent would fully protect a tank's electronics from an EMP.

That's true, but I think the tank needs to communicate back to its handlers, which means that complete electromagnetic shielding is not possible, (at least not the antenna and hardware immediately connected to it) unless you are talking about fully autonomous tanks which were not as flexible.

 

[plawolf]

That's true, but I think the tank needs to communicate back to its handlers, which means that complete electromagnetic shielding is not possible, (at least not the antenna and hardware immediately connected to it) unless you are talking about fully autonomous tanks which were not as flexible.

An easy solution would just be a circuit breaker. The two wires are not physically connected until someone pushes a button (say when the tank commander pushes the 'send' or 'receive' button on his radio.

The tank's electronics would only be vulnerable for very short periods, and this could be made even safer by having some flash memory and a second physical circuit breaker set so when the antenna is connected to the receiver, the receiver and flash memory decide is isolated from any other onboard electronics. The information being sent or received is stored on flash memory, and will only be downloadable once the physical connection between the memory drive and the antenna has been cut.

That's just an extremely basic example I came up with in less time than it took to write it up. An experienced engineer who spends a decent amount of time on the problem should be able to come up with something far more sophisticated and more practical.

But the point is that it is perfectly possible to completely protect a tank's core electronics from EMP while still retaining the ability to communicate with the outside world as well as download/upload tactical information using a datalink. It won't be real time, but then it doesn't need to be.

The worst that could happen is for a flash memory drive to be fried if the timing was unlucky. That could be easily resolved by having the flash memory drive as a plug and play unit accessible within the tank, and for the tank to carry a couple of spares. Such drives would cost very little so they could carry dozens of spares if they want and it cost next to nothing, but that would be hardly necessary.

 

[no_name]

But isn't the whole point of unmanned tank to not need a tank commander inside the tank? Otherwise he is still vulnerable to shock kill from nuclear blast. (unless you mean a robot)

Or you could have one physical antenna but multiple receiver circuits in parallel but only one of which is connected at any time, then you have a rotary switch that cycles through them. You have the flash memory that stores data on the circuit, then a secondady switch that connects and download data to the tank's system, when the current unit is already isolated from the antenna.

You can also have a self diagnosis system to check for broken circuits and have the switch skipping them.

 

[plawolf]

But isn't the whole point of unmanned tank to not need a tank commander inside the tank? Otherwise he is still vulnerable to shock kill from nuclear blast. (unless you mean a robot)

Or you could have one physical antenna but multiple receiver circuits in parallel but only one of which is connected at any time, then you have a rotary switch that cycles through them. You have the flash memory that stores data on the circuit, then a secondady switch that connects and download data to the tank's system, when the current unit is already isolated from the antenna.

You can also have a self diagnosis system to check for broken circuits and have the switch skipping them.

I was thinking more in terms of countering non-nuclear EMP weapons.

TBH, if both sides are popping off even tactical nukes left, right and centre, you have far bigger concerns than making sure your tanks work after being nuked.

There is little point in designing tanks to operate under such conditions because chances are there won't be anyone left to care if the tanks work or not if nukes start flying.

 

[no_name]

Heh, that is true.

 

[tanlixiang28776]

New picture of type 99A2

 

[challenge]

where's the picture?

 

[tanlixiang28776]

where's the picture?

Should be fixed now

 

[Baibar of Jalat]

tanks are no longer as effective as they used to be, especially in conflicts between major powers. confilicts like those in iraq and afgahnistan are regions where tanks can be effective, because the US military has control of the air. otherwise, even if the enemy is China, which as significantly less powerful airforce, can still be detrimental to the american tanks through usages of MLRs, missiles, and countless shoulder launched anti-tank missiles. today's tanks face too much threat from the air, unless that military superority of air, it will not be able to make its tanks survive battles.
Although tanks are still very usseful in many cases, helicopters are gradually replacing tanks in many areas, as it is more agile and has more firepower.

Airpower has always been key. Germans (WW2) had success when its airpower was dominate, when it lost air control, Allie planes made any tank advance impossible.

 

[no_name]

They put alot more armoured blocks on it.

I don't think this is new. It's called type 99 U by some.

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(2007)

I wonder how well the laser dazzlers and tank periscope works in muddy terrains.

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Actually, is it possible for missile to contain paint-mist explosive? Consider that moder tanks will have self protection systems, it makes sense for an incomming missile to be destroyed (usually at reasonably close range) but then blinds the tank's targeting sensors in the process.