U.S. Military Deploys “Force Field”
This fascinating new technology can literally provide a shield of protection for military vehicles against some forms of rocket propelled grenades. Thank you technology.
The U.S. army plans to deploy an invisible “force field” system called the Trophy Active Defense System, or ADS, that disables incoming RPG rounds and other low-tech munitions. Trophy provides a dome of protection around a vehicle. When it detects an incoming missile, it throws a “beam” of fragments at it, which causes it to explode.
I dont think its a force field, more likly a radar targeted lazer that rapidly heats the explosive and sets it off. If it was a force field the hole thing would have stopped.
Comment by Purcian — April 10, 2006 @
Well, not really. It could have still exploded from an impact. It might not be a physical shield, but it’s still a protection therefore a shield. Ultimately it neutralizes the incoming threat. It may not be like on Star Trek or something, but it’s a step in that direction.
Comment by zazaza — April 10, 2006 @
Here’s how to defeat such defensive systems using commonly-available weaponry:
Fire rounds timed to explode before impact, first from some distance and then, successively stepping rounds in closer and closer to the target. The fragments from each previous explosion act as decoys, and each explosion masks the next incoming round.
Keep stepping rounds closer and closer to the target until the final round hits.
Comment by G. Roper — April 11, 2006 @
G. Roper: Your plan to defeat such a system would add a great deal of complexity to the weapon system. The main threat this is meant to protect against is RPG style weapons, which need to be cheap and mobile to be carried by a fighter.
I am not saying it can not be done but it would require a sophisticated weapons lab and the type of enemy the US is facing these days is not really up to the task. Most of the RPGs these people are using are not even the state of the art for todays technology so the system might be promising.
Comment by Chuck the Lucky — April 14, 2006 @
Its better than nothing but it relies on two radars to work. The system adds weight and if either radar is put out of commision, the system would fail.
I’m just wondering if the cost of the system in terms of weight, expense, power etc. outweighs its benefits vs additional armour. I also wonder how many threats it can counter, how much time the system would take to reset and what its field of fire is. These are all things that can be tested in low tech ways. I also wonder how badly it would be affected by adverse weather conditions and smoke, the traditional enemies of lasers and other beam weapons.
Comment by Gary — April 14, 2006 @
i seriously doubt its some kind of laser or energy sheild. i saw this in a popular mechanics article like 3 years ago. theres a bunch of grenade launching tubes all around the vehicle, and when a missle gets close, it just fires the nearest tube. the grenades are frag grenades that detonate when the radars says they are as close to the target as they can get. no magic.
btw fox news is retarded.
Comment by ehren — June 2, 2006 @
Did anyone watch the video? I cannot believe the above speculation.
They clearly showed what was happening and explained it several times.
Did you notice two explosions? a large one from the tank, followed by another, which is the RPG expoding.
This device obviously fires shrapnal of some secret mix that physically strikes the incomming RPG causing it to detonate before it strikes the tank/APC
Comment by David — August 10, 2006 @
Judging by the butt whuppin’ that Hezbollah gave the invading Israeli tank columns in Lebanon, I’d say it needs a little more time on the drawing board.
Comment by Lois D Knominatuer — September 8, 2006 @
I remember reading about this in popular Mechanics.
As I recall the big downfall is that the RPG explodes and takes out anyone around the vehical (solders, civilians, etc). And of course how would you feel if you were out infront of a tank and suddenly you get hit from behind by whatever it is sending out, and then the RPG goes off and you get hit by its shrapnale…
Comment by John Lane — September 21, 2006 @
This is not completley new. I was explained to about something like this 17 years ago for airplanes, and then again by a different person six years ago for land attacks. High tech radar and lazers. Good stuff
Comment by Gun pricing — September 24, 2006 @
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