From general Mechanics
The Defense Advanced inquiry Projects Agency is researching new long-range radiant weapons designed ought devastate attacking competitor forces, buying time during the U.S. ought forward reinforcements at a hypothetical future engagement.
The program, known during “Assault Breaker II,” mirrors a cold battle ripen program designed ought explode Soviet armored spearheads poised ought rgeister into Western Europe. The pains used to possess of a combination of long-range sensors and bombers loaded with radiant weapons designed ought hunt out and wreck tanks, ships, and other competitor systems.
Back at the 1970s, NATO faced a numerically superior Soviet army at Europe. at the accident of war, Soviet army used to consume streamed into Western Europe with waves upon waves of tank and mechanized divisions. The utilize of tactical nuclear weapons ought meet back at such a scenario, but a centerpiece of NATO’s defense tactic during the 1950s, risked escalation ought all-out nuclear warfare.
In response, the U.S. embarked upon a plan known during assault Breaker. assault Breaker used to join sensors (particularly the E-8C JSTARS airborne surveillance aircraft) with wish hill radiant weapons designed ought hunt and wreck competitor armor. but NATO foundation army went head-to-head with the first echelon of invading Soviet forces, assault Breaker used to sum follow-on Soviet army after competitor lines, bleeding them ago they even reached the front.
Now, according ought Aviation Week & universe Technology, the conception after Assault Breaker is back. The U.S. is concerned that countries though Russia and China could stage a huge amaze assault above near U.S. bases, destroying them and leaving the Pentagon without a method ought battle back. assault Breaker II used to exist a fast reaction system capable of being launched a little hours after the onset of hostilities. assault Breaker II used to heavily wreck competitor army at the front line, buying time during the U.S. ought flow fresh reinforcements into the theater.
Assault Breaker II used to occupation something though this: speak Russia has launched a assault above NATO’s eastern flank, against the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Russian long-range bombers and missiles consume struck U.S. army posts and stand bases throughout the region, causing heavy casualties and preventing an immediate response.
In response, the U.S. stand compel immediately launches a squadron of 12 B-52H heavy bombers. JSTARS aircraft, having identified columns of Russian armor above the affect along the Baltics, vector the B-52s at ought intercept. each bomber releases 20 assault Breaker standoff missiles. during the missile nears the Russian tank column, it releases a flock of up ought 40 radiant submunitions, each of which powers above its infrared sensors and begins hunting tanks. Once a tank is located, it fires an explosively forged penetrator into the slim armor protecting the peak of a tank or armored vehicle, destroying it. The BLU-108 submunition dispenser, shown at the video below, can parcel up ought 4 tank-hunting submunitions, and a only CBU97 bomb can parcel up ought ten BLU-108s inside.
Assuming each munition has a 50 percent opportunity of destroying a tank, a only assault Breaker weapon could knock 20 out of the 30 tanks at a Russian tank battalion out of action, rendering the unit unfit during combat. exaggerate that by 240 and neutral twelve bombers could vocation a crippling blow ought an assault force, smothering it with almost ten thousand shots.
A alike country could play out against China, though it is unlikely the U.S. will appearance significant numbers of Chinese foundation army at the Asia-Pacific. at a scenario involving China, assault Breaker II used to exist used ought sum competitor stand bases, naval bases, and even ships. The munitions could sum jet sitting above tarmacs or the concrete radar antennas above naval destroyers, blinding competitor ships and putting them out of action.
Assault Breaker II is meant ought exist a deterrent, dissuading latent adversaries from launching amaze attacks above the U.S. and its neighbors. even if such an assault were successful, assault Breaker II used to obstruct competitor army from exploiting the attack, destroying them and at become holding the competitor at chance from U.S. reinforcements. It used to exist principally a defensive weapon.
The U.S. Armed army could sphere assault Breaker II within ten years or less, the Pentagon thinks. approximately crude of the technique is adult and has been at service during years. This time nearly even more new features could exist added, such during a deconfliction engine designed ought obstruct multiple munitions from attacking the same target, the capacity during the same missile ought exist used against targets above the foundation and at sea, and self-destruct mechanisms ought obstruct unexploded munitions from posing a chance ought civilians.
Read more at Aviation Week & universe Technology
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