6 ms·
> Tanks began to fire 120-millimeter canister rounds (in essence, shotgun-type rounds that, once fired, open into hundreds of tiny pieces) down streets from the
by ucaetano 8y ago
> Tanks began to fire 120-millimeter canister rounds (in essence, shotgun-type rounds that, once fired, open into hundreds of tiny pieces) down streets from their main guns. The canister rounds blew the trash off the streets and, in many cases, exploded IEDs lying in wait for the patrol.
The interesting part that most people don't think about (and is extremely relevant in a MOUT setting) is the pressure shock coming out of a main gun, which can be deadly for up to 200m:
The overpressure from the tank 120-mm cannon can kill a marine found within a 90-degree arc extending from the muzzle of the gun tube out to 200 meters. (Marines MOUT Manual)
When firing it down a narrow, building-lined corridor, the effect can be far longer, and even without the canister shot it would likely be enough to clear a large section of the street.
- howard941 8y ago> Tanks began to fire 120-millimeter canister rounds (in essence, shotgun-type rounds that, once fired, open into hundreds of tiny pieces) down streets from their main guns. Are the resulting pieces effectively flechettes but lawful?
- iaw 8y agoI'm sorry, but where aren't flechettes lawful? Canister rounds, from my knowledge, result in ball projectiles (ballistic flight) while flechettes are finned (aerodynamic flight).
- howard941 8y agoI didn't think they were lawful but this book review says I was mistaken: https://www.lawfareblog.com/deadly-metal-rain-legality-flechette-weapons-international-law-eitan-barak https://www.lawfareblog.com/deadly-metal-rain-legality-flech...
- celticninja 8y agoI thought that using plastic flechettes was illegal because you can't x-ray to find and remove them.
- ThrowawayR2 8y agoNo, they're not flechettes. According to the manufacturer, the projectiles are tungsten spheres. https://www.gd-ots.com/munitions/large-caliber-ammunition/120mm-m1028/ https://www.gd-ots.com/munitions/large-caliber-ammunition/12... (There's even a sales brochure.)
- AWildC182 8y agoWonder why titanium? It's relatively light so it'll slow down with air resistance very quickly. It's like shooting aluminum spheres but harder. Edit: op misquoted the page. They're tungsten which would be more in line with what I'd expect. Tungsten in both very heavy (ever heavier than lead) and very very hard.
- ThrowawayR2 8y agoThat was a typo on my part, which I've fixed; thanks for pointing it out. They're tungsten spheres.
- mooman219 8y agoHonestly I'm surprised that a military ordinance page is so clean and straight forward. It also feels a little strange to see marketing material for military weapons.
- nogbit 8y agoSurprised? You shouldn't be, it's a big business/industry and it's legal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companies_by_arms_sales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companies_by_arms_sales
- AWildC182 8y agoYou'd be surprised how much stuff you can find. Google just about any weapons system using the right terminology and you'll be greeted with brochures and high level datasheets galore.
- samstave 8y ago
- bradford 8y agoI think the resulting pieces are simply fragments of metal. Better resembling buckshot or small metal bits than flechettes. i.e., more like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragmentation_(weaponry) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragmentation_(weaponry) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell#Buckshot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_shell#Buckshot and less like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flechette https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flechette
- ivanhoe 8y agoResulting pieces are over a thousand tungsten balls that just wipe out everything in front of the tank up to a 500m.