An Israeli Shell in an Indian Tank

[Adir-M]

India is equipping its Arjun tanks with IAI’s LAHAT missile

India is equipping its Arjun tanks with the LAHAT missile produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The missile will provide the tank with the ability to hit moving targets from great distances while in motion.
IAI developed and produced the LAHAT – a laser-guided missile that can be launched from a tank's cannon, reaching its target by homing in on a laser spot. The shell-missile weighs approximately 12 kg and has a range of 8 kg, including a lethal 2.5 kg warhead.
Despite the many technical difficulties the Arjun tank project experienced over the years, its serial production and is well underway.
The Indian army recently announced that it intends to order 250 more improved Arjun tanks following the conclusion of the user tests. The newer version has received dozens of improvements compared to the MK-1 variant.
Improvements include its mobility, brigade-power, and the capability to fire missiles through a gun barrel. The tank will also be equipped with advanced reactive shielding.
The Indian Army has committed to continue procuring the tanks if the improvements prove worthy during testing. Four brigades equipped with the Arjun tanks are expected to be operational by 2016.

The Arjun tank used by the Indian Army
lahat missile

 

[Kaniska]

Good news...mate..

 

[Ignited Mind]

Israel and the West are miles ahead of the world when it comes to Defence technology. Even our friends in Russia do not make such brilliant stuff as the Israelis do.

 

[silko]

"has a range of 8 kg"

 

[Shinigami]

"has a range of 8 kg"

how far can u throw 8kg?

 

[Hulk]

how far can u throw 8kg?

Typos happen, but yes people writing Article should be better.

 

[Adir-M]

"has a range of 8 kg"

dident noticed

 

[Desert Fox]

India is equipping its Arjun tanks with IAI’s LAHAT missile

India is equipping its Arjun tanks with the LAHAT missile produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The missile will provide the tank with the ability to hit moving targets from great distances while in motion.
IAI developed and produced the LAHAT – a laser-guided missile that can be launched from a tank's cannon, reaching its target by homing in on a laser spot. The shell-missile weighs approximately 12 kg and has a range of 8 kg, including a lethal 2.5 kg warhead.
Despite the many technical difficulties the Arjun tank project experienced over the years, its serial production and is well underway.
The Indian army recently announced that it intends to order 250 more improved Arjun tanks following the conclusion of the user tests. The newer version has received dozens of improvements compared to the MK-1 variant.
Improvements include its mobility, brigade-power, and the capability to fire missiles through a gun barrel. The tank will also be equipped with advanced reactive shielding.
The Indian Army has committed to continue procuring the tanks if the improvements prove worthy during testing. Four brigades equipped with the Arjun tanks are expected to be operational by 2016.

The Arjun tank used by the Indian Army
lahat missile

In other words its just a Anti Tank Guided Missile with a range of 8 kglol. Not a problem at all and can easily be countered with smoke grenades and VARTA protection suite.

 

[Dalai Lama]

The LAHAT (Laser Homing Attack or Laser Homing Anti-Tank, also a Hebrew word for incandescence) is a third generation semi-active laser homing low-weight anti-tank guided missile developed since 1992 and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. It was designed primarily to be fired by Merkava tanks' 105 mm and 120 mm tank guns, though it matches all types of 105 mm and 120 mm guns, including low recoil guns and low-weight guns of military armoured cars.[1] It is also suitable for patrol ships, possibly modified for 105–106 mm recoilless rifles, UAVs, HMMWVs, and SPAAGs.[1] Unlike other tank rounds, LAHAT does not need a tank gun for operation.

LAHAT has a semi-active laser guidance system, capable of both direct and indirect laser designation—the target can be laser-designated by the launching platform (i.e firing tank) or other platform (i.e. another tank, helicopter, UAV, or forward scouting team), requiring minimal exposure in the firing position. With a low launch signature, the missile’s trajectory can be set to match either (top attack) armoured fighting vehicle, warship, or helicopter gunship (direct attack) engagements.

It has a range of 8 km when launched from a ground platform, and up to 13 km, when deployed from high elevation. The missile hits the target at an accuracy of 0.7 meter CEP and an angle of over 30 degrees, providing effective penetration of up to 800 mm of armor steel with its tandem warhead to deal with add-on reactive armor.[1] LAHAT might also carry embedded active protection system countermeasure capabilities. In any tank the LAHAT is stowed like other rounds in the ammunition rack, and handled just like any other type of ammunition.

LAHAT - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Joe Shearer]

In other words its just a Anti Tank Guided Missile with a range of 8 kglol. Not a problem at all and can easily be countered with smoke grenades and VARTA protection suite.

Can smoke grenades obscure laser beams? Is there a concentration beyond which laser beams will be affected? Is even a slight change in the density of the air enough to deflect or obscure these beams? What is the correct position?

 

[Desert Fox]

Can smoke grenades obscure laser beams? Is there a concentration beyond which laser beams will be affected? Is even a slight change in the density of the air enough to deflect or obscure these beams? What is the correct position?

So by your logic, just point laser into smoke and hope it hits the Tank, right?


A smoke grenade is supposed to act like a cover for the Tank, not obscure the laser. How can you point a laser at a Tank if you can't spot its exact position under the cover of dense smoke?

 

[Joe Shearer]

In other words its just a Anti Tank Guided Missile with a range of 8 kglol. Not a problem at all and can easily be countered with smoke grenades and VARTA protection suite.

In fact, it is apparent that a tank firing at the extreme range, around 8 kms. (and not 8 kgs, ha, ha, ha, and all that), will surely have acquired its target through electronic means, through range-finding radar, or be firing to meet indirectly-aimed laser beams trained by infantry teams closer to the designated target.

Such a target will either have an equivalent long-range detection system, or will not.

If it does have such a similar system, how will it respond? Presumably with smoke grenades; presumably responding with gunfire at 8 kms range may not be a good idea. So it boils down to detecting the enemy armed with LAHAT first, and taking defensive action first.

If it does not have such a system, it is a sitting duck.

Is this analysis correct?

Desert Fox, this is in partial response to your comment.

 

[Desert Fox]

In fact, it is apparent that a tank firing at the extreme range, around 8 kms. (and not 8 kgs, ha, ha, ha, and all that), will surely have acquired its target through electronic means, through range-finding radar, or be firing to meet indirectly-aimed laser beams trained by infantry teams closer to the designated target.

Such a target will either have an equivalent long-range detection system, or will not.

If it does have such a similar system, how will it respond? Presumably with smoke grenades; presumably responding with gunfire at 8 kms range may not be a good idea. So it boils down to detecting the enemy armed with LAHAT first, and taking defensive action first.

If it does not have such a system, it is a sitting duck.

Is this analysis correct?

So lets suppose it does have a system to detect enemy lock on and therefore reacts with smoke grenades or other counter measures in response to the missile launch?

How will the Laser designator ensure a hit on a target under dense smoke?

When the Target drastically changes its position under dense smoke?

And lets say the laser designator some how magically stays on target despite all of the dense smoke, how will the LAHAT hit the target Tank if the it has a protection suit like the VARTA?

 

[Joe Shearer]

So lets suppose it does have a system to detect enemy lock on and therefore reacts with smoke grenades or other counter measures in response to the missile launch?

How will the Laser designator ensure a hit on a target under dense smoke?

When the Target drastically changes its position under dense smoke?

And lets say the laser designator some how magically stays on target despite all of the dense smoke, how will the LAHAT hit the target Tank if the it has a protection suit like the VARTA?

Leaving aside VARTA for the moment, in order to confuse one issue at a time, will smoke grenades also be effective against indirect target acquisition from a flanking position? Are we assuming that the smoke will totally obscure the target? How large is it likely to be? Will that smoke cloud not itself be a target?

What about navigation in smoke-filled conditions? Do we assume that all we have to do to make an armoured brigade go up in smoke is to ping a few tanks with laser beams? And soon have a situation where its individual units are all totally disoriented? This sounds like a Keystone Cops scenario to me.

So lets suppose it does have a system to detect enemy lock on and therefore reacts with smoke grenades or other counter measures in response to the missile launch?

How will the Laser designator ensure a hit on a target under dense smoke?

When the Target drastically changes its position under dense smoke?

And lets say the laser designator some how magically stays on target despite all of the dense smoke, how will the LAHAT hit the target Tank if the it has a protection suit like the VARTA?

Do Pakistani tanks (the most likely target, given the conditions of warfare on the northern borders of India) have such a system to detect enemy target acquisition? I do not recall this feature in the existing literature that I have read, and would like to know if anyone can throw light on this question.

 

[Joe Shearer]

So lets suppose it does have a system to detect enemy lock on and therefore reacts with smoke grenades or other counter measures in response to the missile launch?

How will the Laser designator ensure a hit on a target under dense smoke?

When the Target drastically changes its position under dense smoke?

And lets say the laser designator some how magically stays on target despite all of the dense smoke, how will the LAHAT hit the target Tank if the it has a protection suit like the VARTA?

Do Pakistani tanks (the most likely target, given the conditions of warfare on the northern borders of India) have such a system to detect enemy target acquisition? I do not recall this feature in the existing literature that I have read, and would like to know if anyone can throw light on this question.