via Haaretz.
The Israel Defense Forces plans to protect more of its equipment against anti-tank missiles and acquire more radar devices that detect mortar fire – key lessons learned from the fighting in Gaza.
A system called Windbreaker currently protects the tanks of Armored Corps Brigade 401 against all types of anti-tank missiles. In Gaza, this system was used more than 10 times to intercept such missiles, including the advanced Kornet.
“The Windbreaker gives us more security when moving and under fire; it’s a system that lets us maneuver more deeply,” a commander in the brigade said during the fighting. The most significant threat during the Gaza operation was from anti-tank missiles and sniper fire, he said.
The IDF plans for the brigades of Division 162 and Division 36 to eventually have the system, too. “The lesson learned from the operation is to continue to strengthen the decisive divisions,” a senior officer said.
He said the IDF had increased the pace of producing high-quality Namer armored personnel carriers. At the moment, Namers are not outfitted with the Windbreaker.
Nothing like a war to bring out the best in Weapons Development and Production.
ReplyDeleteThat said, the Trophy at least theorytically looks like a decent kit addition on armored platforms. I have yet to see one operate in real life so i'll take Israel's word for it.
Israel Military Industries has also developed has also developed an APS, called IronFist, competing with Trophy, that is based on a different principle.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Fist_(countermeasure).
The company also developed a well designed Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which I personally would like to see in the Infantry brigades of the IDF in substantial numbers, instead of the the now completely obsolete M113. These, with their superior mobility (including difficult terrain, which only tracked vehicles can ordinarily traverse) would enable these units to use fast surprise movements that would unbalance to opposition, which did not happen in the conflict.
The current conflict looked more like a grind, with massive firepower to protect and assist the troops.
There are lots of kit not openly mentioned in the press which got its "trial by fire" during the operation. One of these must be the Zayad or Digital Army with Intelligence flowing downwards to the Platoon level and the Digital Map (which is a revolutionary development, enabling all arms to talk the same language as regards to accurate, common map references, and transferring targets just by pointing to them on a digital map on a small handheld terminal).
Next I hope to see cheap GPS fuses in quantity for 155mm howitzers and 120mm mortars. I saw two developments in May 2014 at the Artillery Congress. Not Copperhead at $50-100 thousand a pop, but in the below 10k price. The IDF is considering new mobile artillery systems to replace the 40 year old M109, but the accurate shell IN QUANTITY will have a higher effect on the future battle and be cheaper as well.
Hamas used snipers to good effect. This is something that will need to be addressed, either by greater number of sniper teams in the IDF or by technological developments (automated optical or acoustic fire detection) or both.
Hamas used the tunnels in Rafah and Bei Hanun, Sajaiyeh, as tactical fighting tools. For the IDF it was very difficult to counter as many were camouflaged well. It was dangerous to go in there after them and a few soldiers died from booby traps and IEDs. I saw one instance on TV where the combat engineers threw a smoke pot into a tunnel and used a large ventilator to drive the smoke inward, showing the undiscovered additional egress openings.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest a more refined system using CS and smoke or some other incapacitating (not lethal, which is against the Geneva Convention) gas to harass, incapacitate, drive out the tunnel rats and identify additional outlets. Pouring sewage down the tunnels would endanger the water supply and deny the IDF later reconnaissance.
The Trophy APS is to my knowledge the best of its kind. Doesn't mean there are no issues regarding its use and possible shortcomings, which is why a newer version is being developped and tested.
ReplyDeleteIt appears in particular that some of the latest RPGs can evade detection by Trophy through use of of a decoy precursor projectile. That is public knowledge and it's the main reason why Rafael is pursuing its improvement efforts on APS like Trophy.
There are also ways to evade destruction of the antitank weapon used against a vehicle fitted with an APS, wether Trophy or other, but this requires lots of stealth, skill and courage from AT team. In other words, sounds unlikely Hamas fighters may implement such tactics.
There's also the possibility to revert back to old fashioned and "exotic" AT combat methods, some of which may be very effective, especially in urban areas. Those of you who know something about AT combat will understand what I mean. I'm not gonna hand out recipes ready for use on here ... ;-)