This is how one of them works:
BONUS is described as a fire and forget guided 155-millimeter ammunition designed for destroying armored targets. BONUS was a joint project by Britain, France and Sweden with the Swedes taking the lead in production. BONUS can be fired from standard NATO 155mm artillery and has a maximum 35-kilometer effective range. The round carries two submunitions, each with their own multiband IR (heat) sensors backed by laser radar. BONUS uses small winglets to slow its descent rather than small parachutes that are used in earlier similar submunitions, like the German SMART shell. The parachutes are easier to spot and more expensive and complex to use.
The submunitions separate from the shell over the target location (using a time-on-target fuze) about 175 meters above the target areas and scan for targets. Each warhead can scan about 32,000 square meters and hit even moving targets within that area. The destruction is achieved by an Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) able to punch through more than 130 mm (five inches) of armor.
Supposedly, they are effective enough that Russian tank crews are abandoning their tanks when they come under artillery fire. Because, as has been shown, a large number of Russian tanks are not survivable when hit with a top-attack munition.
Artillery seems to be keeping its place as the King of Battles.
4 comments:
As a peacetime redleg,I'm amazed at what is available for the modern cannon cocker. I was on M109A1's and A2 155MM SP howitzers. The only rounds we shot regularly were HE, Smoke, WP (white phosphorus) and Illumination rounds. Fuses were PD (point detonating) M564 MTSQ (Mechanical time, super quick) and VT (Variable time or proximity fuses). Powder was green bag and White bag and yes you had to keep it dry.
While the mission hasn't changed, The ways to get a round down range sure have. Back in my day it was 105mm popguns, 155MM Self propelled or towed, or 8 inch SP. I remember seeing the first MLRS tooling around Fort Sill and wondering what kind of fancy cargo carrier it was. Ahh memories. Hats off to all the cannoneers keeping the King of Battle in his rightful place. In closing, you can always tell an artilleryman because he'll keep asking you to speak up
1. You did nice piece on the Swedish bofors gun some time ago. Excellent engineering and Chrysler converted the drawings 2.5 D for production purposes if memory serves.
2. The EU might feel like the Lone Ranger after the midterms
I think you may be right Mr. Jones. To our everlasting shame.
Jon, good memory (or searching). That Chrysler/Bofors blog post was 11 years ago.
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