FORMATOSE

The Arjun MBT program started in 1972. 

The Jaguar is a specific design with very French inputs.
-1 : French cavalry considered video sighting is not mature enough. So, optical backup sight was asked for both the gunner and the tank commander. 
-2 : the DGA procurement agency introduced special requirements. The most noticeable one is the bubble like driver hatch. At the beginning, the driver hatch was supposed to be a Leclerc MBT one. But DGA asked a 10RC one. They think it’s safer when driving opened hatch. This choice is the worst because of its complexe impact on armor. 

It’s not an MRAP drive line. 
Not the best available but not an MRAP one. 

Pics of Jaguar stolen from twater

 
 

A closer look to the Challenger 2 mantlet :
 

 

 

 

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Well, it depends on the exact armor layout. The problem is that the different slope will affect the effective protection provided by most materials (sloped steel being weaker against APFSDS rounds when sloped, unless sloped very high; NERA being less effective perpendicular to the threat, while ceramics are better in exactly the same situation).
 
If one does not account for these factors, the volume will be used less effectively. In case of the Leopard 2 (at least the Leopard 2AV) and the M1 Abrams, the shape of the hull armor cavities do not correspond to the actual shape/sloping of the armor arry. In case of British tanks, the shape of the armor cavities is less suited for such solution, hence the difference between the shape of turret and hull might be more relevant.
 
 
That is quite possible, though IMO the picture quality is too poor to make an accurate judgement.
 
 
British research on DU armor suggests that thin plates used in a NERA-like configuration are prefered, at least such an array (using very thin DU plates and poly-carbonate inter-layers) was revealed in a British publication:

Note that this armor is optimized for KE and each sandwhich plate is less than two inches thick. Both DU plates amount to less than half of the multi-layered plates thickness.
 
The US Abrams also apparently featured thin DU plates, at least in case of the M1A1 HA and M1A2. There is a 1995 report covering the SMC (Specific Manufacturing Capabilites) located at Idaho National Engineering Laborary, i.e. a facility run by Lockheed-Martin and the US Department of Energy specifically to manufacture DU elements for the M1A1 HA and M1A2 tanks. The reports speciifcally mentions that the shears (shears have to be used to prevent DU dust potentially contaminating the worker's lungs) are rated for DU plate thicknesses of 0.625 and 0.375 inches. This would suggest that at least some parts of the DU armor arrays of the M1A1 HA and M1A2 use DU plates with a thickness as low as 9.525 milimeters.
 

 
 
They are backplates, which is why it is extremely unlikely that they are made out of DU. DU is way to heavy.
 
How thick do you think is the backplate? To me it seems to be in the area of 40 to 50 mm (not accounting for slope).
 
The problem is that given the slope of the hull, you look at as much weight as a 188 to 235 mm thick steel plate (assuming a DU staballoy with a density of 18.5 kg/cm³). 188 mm thick steel weighs ca. 1,500 kilograms per m², a 235 mm steel plates weighs ca. 1,880 kilograms per m² . Given the size of the area covered by the backplate, that would already be more weight for the backplate than the Challenger 1 had for total Burlington armor on the hull front. Basically there would be no weight left for anything else (such as NERA layers required to reach the desired 800 mm protection against shaped charges). Without additional layers, the DU plate with additional steel front and back plates also would fail to reach the desired level of protection.
 
So either the backplate is not made of DU or there has been a massive, currently unexplained weight reduction in hull components and/or the existing steel armor.
 
The problem also exists for the turret. Turret armor slope is not as extreme, but the backplates are also fitted to the turret sides. Basically more than half of the turret armor's weight would be related to the backplates.
 
 
Other materials have to be used, as DU is simply to heavy.
Which other examples of DU being mounted as a plate for armor applications do you know?
 
 

Update:
 

The reactive armor that protects the bustle sides of the Leclerc SXXI is being upgraded with new reactive kits :
 
As part of the Leclerc modernization, the 8th RMAT Materiel Regiment and the 12th Cuirassier armoured cavalry Regiment have been appointed for the fitting of reactive armor kits on 12 Leclerc tanks.
 
Source : Twitter
 



 

It's a rather peculiar layout, given the achieved protection level.
The side armor only relies and on a thin composite plate (KSAP), a stowage box and small Kontakt-1-like NERA bricks.
Does the threats hit the sides with a 60° obliquity (coming from the front) ?

I believe these are new (for here) photos of Numba One MBT of World in construction.
 

 
This CAD drawing also shows glorious thickness of hull protective scheme.

This could have been worse without the lessons learned from Saif Sareea 2 exercise.

It's ironic knowing that the Challenger 1 was derived from a tank designed for operating in the desert.

Just in case of Best Korea infantry zerg rush.

https://twitter.com/8ermat/status/1356625823932035073?s=21

The reactive armor that protects the bustle sides of the Leclerc SXXI is being upgraded with new reactive kits :
 
As part of the Leclerc modernization, the 8th RMAT Materiel Regiment and the 12th Cuirassier armoured cavalry Regiment have been appointed for the fitting of reactive armor kits on 12 Leclerc tanks.
 
Source : Twitter
 



 

The reactive armor that protects the bustle sides of the Leclerc SXXI is being upgraded with new reactive kits :
 
As part of the Leclerc modernization, the 8th RMAT Materiel Regiment and the 12th Cuirassier armoured cavalry Regiment have been appointed for the fitting of reactive armor kits on 12 Leclerc tanks.
 
Source : Twitter
 



 

The reactive armor that protects the bustle sides of the Leclerc SXXI is being upgraded with new reactive kits :
 
As part of the Leclerc modernization, the 8th RMAT Materiel Regiment and the 12th Cuirassier armoured cavalry Regiment have been appointed for the fitting of reactive armor kits on 12 Leclerc tanks.
 
Source : Twitter
 



 

This could have been worse without the lessons learned from Saif Sareea 2 exercise.

1

General Dynamics UK have created a virtual expo complete with a 3D model viewer for Ajax and Foxhound:
https://gdgoesvirtual.com/ls/event.html
Password = GD2021

Interesting things like an electronic drive system for Foxhound:



and the world's most useful periscope:

What would your Abrahams be without British armour?  Hiw many Abrahams have been list? How many Chally's have been lost. Answer 1 to another Chally.  End of argument. 

Everybody knows that Abrahamanus is the worst tank in the world, but Challenged 2 is best because it have rifled gun and fire HESH! Very Strong!