Electric Armor

[Occhidiangela]

Anti RPG Electric Armor

Dstl scientists have recently demonstrated an armoured troop carrier protected by Electric Armour, in which, when danger threatens, an outer skin of metal plates can rapidly be electrified to several thousand volts. When hit by a RPG or other shaped charge warhead, the incoming copper jet has to pass through the electrified layers, where it has to endure the passage of many thousands of amperes of current.
-Professor Brown explains:
“As is well known, a current of just thirteen amps is sufficient to 'blow' and disintegrate the fuse of a household electrical appliance.  Similarly, the high speed copper jet from a shaped charge anti-tank warhead is virtually instantaneously dispersed by the high temperatures and powerful fields generated by the so-called 'Pulsed Power' System carried by the vehicle.  Any residual debris is absorbed by the vehicle’s ordinary armoured hull.”

In an urban, non permissive, peace enforcement environment, which is what Iraq is more or less these days, the problem is "when do you turn on the Juice?" If you leave it on all the time, a casual passery by can easily cook himself by touching the armored vehicle. Someone could push someone else into the side of a Bradley and cook them if it is known that "shields up" posture is activated. This can be exploited for political gain in the media. I expect that even a modestly cheap IR binoculars can tell the difference between "shields up" and "Shields down" by lookig for heat signature changes, but I am guessing.

Neat idea, but not worth much in MOUT if it is not on all the time. Most attacks by RPG are surprise. Why? Light infantry/partisan against armor is a bad match when armor knows where you are.

Occhi