From commonplace Mechanics
The Defense Advanced inquiry Projects Agency is researching new long-range clever weapons designed ought devastate attacking foe forces, buying time during the U.S. ought deliver reinforcements at a hypothetical future engagement.
The program, known during “Assault Breaker II,” mirrors a chilly endeavour epoch program designed ought recess Soviet armored spearheads poised ought catalog into Western Europe. The trouble used to contain of a mixture of long-range sensors and bombers loaded with clever weapons designed ought follow out and break tanks, ships, and other foe systems.
Back at the 1970s, NATO faced a numerically superior Soviet army at Europe. at the incident of war, Soviet army used to possess streamed into Western Europe with waves upon waves of tank and mechanized divisions. The use of tactical nuclear weapons ought impress hind at such a scenario, still 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 design known during attack Breaker. attack Breaker used to connect sensors (particularly the E-8C JSTARS airborne surveillance aircraft) with desire mount clever weapons designed ought follow and break foe armor. still NATO base army went head-to-head with the first echelon of invading Soviet forces, attack Breaker used to aim follow-on Soviet army after foe lines, bleeding them ago they flat reached the front.
Now, according ought Aviation Week & space Technology, the opinion after Assault Breaker is back. The U.S. is concerned that countries alike Russia and China could stage a colossal surprise attack above shut U.S. bases, destroying them and leaving the Pentagon without a manner ought endeavour back. attack Breaker II used to exist a drive reaction system able of being launched a few hours after the onset of hostilities. attack Breaker II used to heavily wreck foe army can the front line, buying time during the U.S. ought flow fresh reinforcements into the theater.
Assault Breaker II used to profession something alike this: say Russia has launched a attack above NATO’s eastern flank, against the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Russian long-range bombers and missiles possess 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 force 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 attack Breaker standoff missiles. during the missile nears the Russian tank column, it releases a herd of up ought 40 clever 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 slight armor protecting the climax 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 sole CBU97 bomb can parcel up ought ten BLU-108s inside.
Assuming each munition has a 50 percent occur of destroying a tank, a sole attack Breaker weapon could knock 20 out of the 30 tanks at a Russian tank battalion out of action, rendering the unit unfit during combat. increase that by 240 and impartial twelve bombers could profession a crippling blow ought an attack force, smothering it with almost ten thousand shots.
A alike nation could play out against China, although it is unlikely the U.S. will appearance important numbers of Chinese base army at the Asia-Pacific. at a scenario involving China, attack Breaker II used to exist used ought aim foe stand bases, naval bases, and flat ships. The munitions could aim plane sitting above tarmacs or the concrete radar antennas above naval destroyers, blinding foe ships and putting them out of action.
Assault Breaker II is meant ought exist a deterrent, dissuading latent adversaries from launching surprise attacks above the U.S. and its neighbors. flat if such an attack were successful, attack Breaker II used to block foe army from exploiting the attack, destroying them and at become holding the foe can venture from U.S. reinforcements. It used to exist greatly a defensive weapon.
The U.S. Armed army could sphere attack Breaker II within ten years or less, the Pentagon thinks. about coarse of the technique is grown-up and has been at service during years. This time almost flat more new features could exist added, such during a deconfliction machinery designed ought block multiple munitions from attacking the identical target, the ability during the identical missile ought exist used against targets above the base and can sea, and self-destruct mechanisms ought block unexploded munitions from posing a venture ought civilians.
Read more can Aviation Week & space Technology
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