Could a kinetic projectile really shake an M1 Abrams tank to pieces? China thinks so

A new Chinese study makes a remarkably bold claim: A compact 44-pound metal sphere traveling fast enough could knock out a 70-ton main battle tank from mere shockwaves alone. This challenges beliefs that immobilizing heavily armored multi-million dollar machines like the M1 Abrams requires complex armor-piercing sabot rounds or shaped explosive charges.

Instead, researchers assert that high-velocity inert projectiles can disable the target by shaking main battle tanks apart without penetration, and without killing the entire crew. We have the full, surprising story in today’s Must Read.

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In simulations, researchers found that a small spherical round traveling over Mach 4 could shake critical components loose inside tanks like the M1 Abrams with irreparable effects. Despite no exterior indication of damage, the high-speed 25-megajoule impacts cause bolts and equipment to fail from extreme internal shockwaves transferred throughout the entire vehicle.

With a fraction of conventional ammunition's volume and no explosive filler, the rounds only need a glancing shot to terminate armored vehicles’ combat abilities. If substantiated outside of simulations, this novel approach to dealing with armored vehicles could force sweeping changes across mechanized warfare, and such an anti-tank weapon might also be non-lethal to the tank crew.

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