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57-480: The M1074 Joint Assault Bridge System ( JAB , JABS ) is an American armored military engineering vehicle based on the Abrams M1 A1 main battle tank chassis. The M1074 was designed by Leonardo DRS for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to provide deployable bridge capability for units engaged in military operations. The bridge is an armored vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB) Military Load Class 95 Scissor Bridge (MLC95)

114-485: A tank chassis and have special attachments in order to breach obstacles. Such attachments may include dozer blades, mine rollers, cranes etc. An example of an engineering vehicle of this kind is a bridgelaying tank, which replaces the turret with a segmented hydraulic bridge . The Hobart's Funnies of the Second World War were a wide variety of armoured vehicles for combat engineering tasks. They were allocated to

171-568: A 24-ton tracked load capacity bridge (Class 24) that could span gaps of 30 feet. However, it did not see service in the British armed forces, and all vehicles were passed onto Allied forces such as Australia and Czechoslovakia. A Class 30 design superseded the Class 24 with no real re-design, simply the substitution of the Covenanter tank with a suitably modified Valentine . As tanks in the war got heavier,

228-626: A belief that Soviet tanks had sufficient armour, the research was ended. No more research was conducted until 1974, when the Ministry of the Defensive Industry announced a contest to find the best tank protection . Picatinny Arsenal , an American military research and manufacturing facility experimented with testing linear cutting charges against anti-tank ammunition in the 1950s, and concluded that they may be effective with an adequate sensing and triggering mechanism, but noted "tactical limitations";

285-470: A high-power capacitor . In operation, a high-voltage power source charges the armour. When an incoming body penetrates the plates, it closes the circuit to discharge the capacitor, dumping a great deal of energy into the penetrator, which may vaporize it or even turn it into a plasma , significantly diffusing the attack. It is not public knowledge whether this is supposed to function against both kinetic energy penetrators and shaped charge jets, or only

342-487: A layer of oxidiser, destroying the jet by burning it with oxidising agents. The earliest trials were done with small charges able to defeat 2 inch of steel plate which were readily defeated by a layer of explosive (Baratol, R.D.X., Cordite, etc.) or a vigorous oxidising medium. Subsequent trials with British No.68 and American M9A1 grenades were carried out. However trials were done in few numbers which caused varied results. A mixture of Sodium and Potassium Nitrates explosives

399-457: A new bridge capable of supporting them was developed. A heavily modified Churchill used a single-piece bridge mounted on a turret-less tank and was able to lay the bridge in 90 seconds; this bridge was able to carry a 60-ton tracked or 40-ton wheeled load. Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during the Second World War by the 79th Armoured Division of

456-404: A penetrating weapon, the explosive detonates, forcibly driving the metal plates apart to damage the penetrator. The shaped charges on the other hand, each detonate individually, launching one spike-shaped plate each, meant to deflect, detonate or cut the incoming projectile. The disruption is attributed to two mechanisms. First, the moving plates change the effective velocity and angle of impact of

513-442: A strong, depleted uranium core. An important aspect of ERA is the brisance , or detonation speed of its explosive element. A more brisant explosive and greater plate velocity will result in more plate material being fed into the path of the oncoming jet, greatly increasing the plate's effective thickness. This effect is especially pronounced in the rear plate receding away from the jet, which triples in effective thickness with double

570-410: Is explosive reactive armour (ERA), but variants include self-limiting explosive reactive armour (SLERA), non-energetic reactive armour (NERA), non-explosive reactive armour (NxRA), and electric armour. NERA and NxRA modules can withstand multiple hits, unlike ERA and SLERA. When a shaped charge strikes the upper plate of the armour, it detonates the inner explosive, releasing blunt damage that

627-716: Is based on the hull of the M1A1 version of the M1 Abrams main battle tank using the suspension system from the M1A2 and upgraded with the Total InteGrated Engine Revitalization (TIGER). This is projected to lower maintenance costs as well as increased availability and unit readiness with commonality of parts with the Abrams chassis. The unit has a new hydraulic bridge launcher system as well as Embedded Diagnostics (ED). Survivability

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684-647: Is currently being replaced with the Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB) MLC 115. After the M1074 has deployed the bridge, assault force vehicles can cross over the bridge. The M1074 can cross over, pick up the bridge on the far bank and continue along in support of assault forces. The JABS was conceived as a compromise between the M104 Wolverine that was deemed too expensive to operate and the aging M60 Patton -based M60 AVLB which could not adequately support

741-622: Is enhanced with components of the Tank Urban Survivability Kit (TUSK) including Abrams Reactive Armor Tile (ARAT1), Rear Viewer Sensor System (RVSS) and Tank-Infantry Phone (TIP). Additionally it can employ the AUTOFLUG Driver's Seat and Abrams Lightweight Underbody Kit for situational use. The vehicle itself is unarmed; however, the crewmembers are typically armed with assault rifles ( M16 or M4 ), pistols, flares, and/or colored smoke grenades. The Bridge Launcher Mechanism (BLM)

798-413: Is insensitive to impact by kinetic projectiles up to 30 mm in caliber. A 20 mm APIT autocannon round penetrates a Serbian ERA sample but fails to detonate it. However, computer simulations indicate that a small caliber (30 mm) HEAT projectile will detonate an ERA, as would larger shape charges and APFSDS penetrators. NERA and NxRA operate similarly to explosive reactive armour, but without

855-420: Is no set template for what such a vehicle will look like, yet likely features include a large dozer blade or mine ploughs, a large caliber demolition cannon, augers, winches, excavator arms and cranes or lifting booms. These vehicles are designed to directly conduct obstacle breaching operations and to conduct other earth-moving and engineering work on the battlefield. Good examples of this type of vehicle include

912-679: Is scheduled to start in 2019 and expected to be completed by May 2024. The M1074 JAB will fully replace the M60 AVLB and M104 Wolverine on a one-for-one basis in the United States Army and Army National Guard . The Australian Army is planning to purchase 18 M1074s, with the US Government granting approval for this in April 2021. Poland signed an agreement with Washington in April 2022 to acquire 17 JABS. The M1074 Joint Assault Bridge System (JABS)

969-401: Is typically a modified tank hull converted to carry a bridge into battle in order to support crossing ditches, small waterways, or other gap obstacles. Another type of bridging vehicle is the truck launched bridge. The Soviet TMM bridging truck could carry and launch a 10-meter bridge that could be daisy-chained with other TMM bridges to cross larger obstacles. More recent developments have seen

1026-924: The British Army or by specialists from the Royal Engineers . They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the amphibious Dieppe Raid , so that the new models would be able to overcome the problems of the planned Invasion of Normandy . These tanks played a major part on the Commonwealth beaches during the landings. They were forerunners of the modern combat engineering vehicle and were named after their commander, Major General Percy Hobart . Hobart's unusual, specialized tanks, nicknamed "funnies", included: In U.S. Forces, Sherman tanks were also fitted with dozer blades, and anti-mine roller devices were developed, enabling engineering operations and providing similar capabilities. Post war,

1083-471: The Aberdeen Test Center. These tests finalized the current configuration for full-rate production and evaluated some configuration changes in the design for crew protection. United States Army Operational Test Command , Fort Hood began conducting operational testing in April 2019, with the 40th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat team, 1st Armored Division . Full-rate production

1140-587: The Abrams and Bradley vehicles. The vehicle provides the Army Mobility Augmentation Companies supporting Armored Brigade Combat Teams with a survivable, deployable and sustainable heavy-assault-bridging capability. Prototype development began in May 2012 when the U.S. Army Contracting Command awarded General Dynamics Land Systems and Leonardo DRS a $ 26 million contract to build two Joint Assault Bridge System (JABS) prototypes. The contract supported

1197-629: The CEVs or AEVs described above, these vehicles are designed to conduct earth-moving work on the battlefield and generally be anti-tank explosive proof. These vehicles have greater high speed mobility than traditional heavy equipment and are protected against the effects of blast and fragmentation. Good examples are the American M9 ACE and the UK FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor . These vehicles are equipped with mechanical or other means for

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1254-645: The Leonardo prototype being accepted as the M1074 in August. Leonardo DRS has a public-private partnership with ANAD in Alabama to manage the M1 chassis assembly and worked with Israeli Military Industries (IMI) on the design and engineering of the bridge system, according to a DRS statement. On August 23, 2016, DRS Technologies, Inc., announced that the U.S. Army had awarded it an indefinite quantity contract worth up to $ 400 million to build

1311-589: The Scissors Assault Bridge. This concept was realised by Captain SA Stewart RE with significant input from a Mr DM Delany, a scientific civil servant in the employ of the EBE. MB Wild & Co, Birmingham, also developed a bridge that could span gaps of 26 feet using a complex system of steel wire ropes and a traveling jib, where the front section was projected and then attached to the rear section prior to launching

1368-510: The U.S. M113 APC , IDF Puma , Nagmachon , Husky, and U.S. M1132 ESV (a Stryker variant). One of the major tasks of military engineering is crossing major rivers. Several military engineering vehicles have been developed in various nations to achieve this task. One of the more common types is the amphibious ferry such as the M3 Amphibious Rig . These vehicles are self-propelled on land, they can transform into raft type ferries when in

1425-721: The UK Trojan AVRE , the Russian IMR, and the US M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle . Although the term "armoured engineer vehicle" is used specifically to describe these multi-purpose tank based engineering vehicles, that term is also used more generically in British and Commonwealth militaries to describe all heavy tank based engineering vehicles used in the support of mechanized forces. Thus, "armoured engineer vehicle" used generically would refer to AEV, AVLB, Assault Breachers, and so on. Lighter and less multi-functional than

1482-461: The armour. This is almost the same as the second mechanism that explosive reactive armour uses, but it uses energy from the shaped charge jet rather than from explosives. Since the inner liner is non-explosive, the bulging is less energetic than on explosive reactive armour, and thus offers less protection than a similarly-sized ERA. However, NERA and NxRA are lighter, safe to handle, safer for nearby infantry, can theoretically be placed on any part of

1539-596: The breached obstacle is still covered by enemy observation and fire, and then purpose built breaching vehicles will create additional lanes for following forces. Good examples of breaching vehicles include the US M1150 assault breacher vehicle , the UK Aardvark JSFU , and the Singaporean Trailblazer . Several types of military bridging vehicles have been developed. An armoured vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB)

1596-408: The breaching of man made obstacles. Common types of breaching vehicles include mechanical flails , mine plough vehicles, and mine roller vehicles. In some cases, these vehicles will also mount mine-clearing line charges . Breaching vehicles may be either converted armoured fighting vehicles or purpose built vehicles. In larger militaries, converted AFV are likely to be used as assault breachers while

1653-564: The bridge with the tank and used hydraulic power generated by the tank's engine to maneuver the bridge into place. For mine clearance the tanks were equipped with 2 ton rollers . Between the wars various experimental bridging tanks were used to test a series of methods for bridging obstacles and developed by the Experimental Bridging Establishment (EBE). Captain SG Galpin RE conceived a prototype Light Tank Mk V to test

1710-490: The bridge. This system had to be abandoned due to lack of success in getting it to work, however the idea was later used successfully on the Beaver Bridge Laying Tank . Once World War Two had begun, the development of armoured vehicles for use by engineers in the field was accelerated under Delaney's direction. The EBE rapidly developed an assault bridge carried on a modified Covenanter tank capable of deploying

1767-408: The conversion of AVLB and truck launched bridge with launching systems that can be mounted on either tank or truck for bridges that are capable of supporting heavy main battle tanks. Earlier examples of bridging vehicles include a type in which a converted tank hull is the bridge. On these vehicles, the hull deck comprises the main portion of the tread way while ramps extend from the front and rear of

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1824-640: The eastern-European military inventory today has either been manufactured to use ERA or had ERA tiles added to it, including even the T-55 and T-62 tanks built forty to fifty years ago, but still used today by reserve units. The U.S. Army uses reactive armour on its Abrams tanks as part of the TUSK (Tank Urban Survivability Kit) package and on Bradley vehicles and the Israelis use it frequently on their American built M60 tanks. ERA tiles are used as add-on (or appliqué ) armour to

1881-566: The effective plate thickness during the impact. To be effective against kinetic energy projectiles, ERA must use much thicker and heavier plates and a correspondingly thicker explosive layer. Such heavy ERA , such as the Soviet-developed Kontakt-5 , can break apart a penetrating rod that is longer than the ERA is deep, again significantly reducing penetration capability. Modern APFSDS however, can not be broken apart by ERA, as it usually has

1938-669: The engineering and manufacturing development phase, with the GDLS prototype being built in Sterling Heights, Michigan and the Leonardo prototype built in West Plains, Missouri . The Army wanted the winner of the contract to include Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) 's organic industrial base experience in the JAB's production. The XM1074 JABS prototypes were ready in 2014. They were delivered to ANAD where they underwent testing and evaluation through 2016 with

1995-417: The explosive liner. Two metal plates sandwich an inert liner, such as rubber. When struck by a shaped charge's metal jet, some of the impact energy is dissipated into the inert liner layer, and the resulting high pressure causes a localized bending or bulging of the plates in the area of the impact. As the plates bulge, the point of jet impact shifts with the plate bulging, increasing the effective thickness of

2052-682: The form of traditional civilian equipment designed and built to unique military specifications. These vehicles typically sacrifice some depth of capability from civilian models in order to gain greater speed and independence from prime movers. Examples of this type of vehicle include high speed backhoes such as the Australian Army's High Mobility Engineering Vehicle (HMEV) from Thales or the Canadian Army's Multi-Purpose Engineer Vehicle (MPEV) from Arva. The main article for civilian heavy equipment is: Heavy equipment (construction) Typically based on

2109-632: The initial beachhead assaults by the British and Commonwealth forces in the D-Day landings. The British Churchill tank because of its good cross-country performance and capacious interior with side hatches became the most adapted with modifications, the base unit being the AVRE carrying a large demolition gun. Reactive armour Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour used in protecting vehicles, especially modern tanks, against shaped charges and hardened kinetic energy penetrators . The most common type

2166-414: The latter. As of 2005, this technology had not yet been introduced on any known operational platform. Another electromagnetic alternative to ERA uses layers of plates of electromagnetic metal with silicone spacers on alternate sides. The damage to the exterior of the armour passes electricity into the plates, causing them to magnetically move together. As the process is completed at the speed of electricity

2223-565: The new JABS. The Army has placed an initial order for 168 vehicles and the Marines for 29. As of 2020, the status of the USMC's order was unclear as the service was divesting its AVLBs as part of Force Design 2030 . The JAB completed its low-rate production phase from 2016 to 2018 with a total of 51 vehicles. ANAD produced 10 in fiscal year 2016, 14 in 2017 and an additional 27 in 2018. These first JABSs underwent exploitation and fire survivability testing at

2280-548: The platform of a main battle tank, these vehicles go by different names depending upon the country of use or manufacture. In the US the term "combat engineer vehicle (CEV)" is used, in the UK the terms " Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE)" or Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (ARRV) are used, while in Canada and other commonwealth nations the term "armoured engineer vehicle (AEV)" is used. There

2337-499: The portions of an armoured fighting vehicle that are most likely to be hit, typically the front ( glacis ) of the hull and the front and sides of the turret. Their use requires that a vehicle be fairly heavily armoured to protect itself and its crew from the exploding ERA. A further complication to the use of ERA is the inherent danger to anyone near the tank when a plate detonates, though a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead explosion would already cause great danger to anyone near

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2394-592: The report was declassified in 1980. A West German researcher, Manfred Held, carried out similar work with the IDF in 1967–1969. Reactive armour created on the basis of the joint research was first installed on Israeli tanks during the 1982 Lebanon war and was judged very effective. An element of explosive reactive armour (ERA) is either made out of a sheet or slab of high explosive sandwiched between two metal plates, or multiple "banana shaped" rods filled with high explosive which are referred to as shaped charges. On attack by

2451-561: The same spot twice is much more difficult. The Australians were the first recorded to have conceptualized and developed methods to disrupt and spread the jet of a hollow charge shell to reduce its penetrating power. In a June 1944 report from the Explosives Manufacturing Practices Laboratory of the Explosives Factory Maribyrnong, an operational requirement for the defence against shaped charges

2508-401: The shaped charge jet, reducing the angle of incidence and increasing the effective jet velocity versus the plate element. Second, since the plates are angled compared to the usual impact direction of shaped charge warheads, as the plates move outwards the impact point on the plate moves over time, requiring the jet to cut through fresh plates of material. This second effect significantly increases

2565-460: The tank can absorb. Reactive armour is intended to counteract anti-tank munitions that work by piercing the armour and then either killing the crew inside, disabling vital mechanical systems, or creating spalling that disables the crew—or all three. Reactive armour can be defeated with multiple hits in the same place, as by tandem-charge weapons, which fire two or more shaped charges in rapid succession. Without tandem charges, hitting precisely

2622-476: The tank. Although ERA plates are intended only to bulge following detonation, the combined energy of the ERA explosive, coupled with the kinetic or explosive energy of the projectile, will frequently cause explosive fragmentation of the plate. The explosion of an ERA plate creates a significant amount of shrapnel, and bystanders are in grave danger of fatal injury. Thus, infantry must operate some distance from vehicles protected by ERA in combined arms operations. ERA

2679-500: The value of the combat engineering vehicles had been proven, and armoured multi-role engineering vehicles have been added to the majority of armoured forces. Military engineering can employ a wide variety of heavy equipment in the same ways to how this equipment is used outside the military. Bulldozers , cranes , graders , excavators , dump trucks , loaders , and backhoes all see extensive use by military engineers. Military engineers may also use civilian heavy equipment which

2736-692: The vehicle to allow other vehicles to climb over the bridging vehicle and cross obstacles. An example of this type of armoured bridging vehicle was the Churchill Ark used in the Second World War. Another type of CELLs are armoured fighting vehicles which are used to transport sappers ( combat engineers ) and can be fitted with a bulldozer 's blade and other mine-breaching devices. They are often used as APCs because of their carrying ability and heavy protection. They are usually armed with machine guns and grenade launchers and usually tracked to provide enough tractive force to push blades and rakes. Some examples are

2793-457: The vehicle, and can be packaged in multiple spaced layers if needed. A key advantage of this kind of armour is that it cannot be defeated via tandem warhead shaped charges, which employ a small forward warhead to detonate ERA before the main warhead fires. Electric armour or electromagnetic armour is a proposed reactive armour technology. It is made up of two or more conductive plates separated by an air gap or by an insulating material, creating

2850-481: The velocity. ERA also counters explosively forged projectiles, as produced by a shaped charge. The counter-explosion must disrupt the incoming projectile so that its momentum is distributed in all directions rather than toward the target, greatly reducing its effectiveness. Explosive reactive armour has been valued by the Soviet Union and its now-independent component states since the 1980s, and almost every tank in

2907-658: The water, and often multiple vehicles can connect to form larger rafts or floating bridges . Other types of military ferries, such as the Soviet Plavayushij Transportyor - Srednyj , are able to load while still on land and transport other vehicles cross country and over water. In addition to amphibious crossing vehicles, military engineers may also employ several types of boats. Military assault boats are small boats propelled by oars or an outboard motor and used to ferry dismounted infantry across water. Most CEVs are armoured fighting vehicles that may be based on

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2964-550: Was designed by Israeli Military Industries in conjunction with Leonardo DRS. The bridging controls are a basic push-button system, similar to the M104 Wolverine, while the computer assembles the bridge and deploys it. The bridge extends its span vertically instead of horizontally as the M104 Wolverine. It can deploy an MLC115 (Caution 120) Heavy Assault Scissor Bridge (HASB) with a gap crossing of 18.3 m in approximately 3 minutes. Military engineering vehicle A Heavy RE tank

3021-467: Was developed shortly after World War I by Major Giffard LeQuesne Martel RE. This vehicle was a modified Mark V tank. Two support functions for these Engineer Tanks were developed: bridging and mine clearance. The bridging component involved an assault bridge, designed by Major Charles Inglis RE, called the Canal Lock Bridge, which had sufficient length to span a canal lock . Major Martel mated

3078-456: Was laid out. The focus was in regard to Japanese 75 mm hollow charge shells used against Allied tanks in the Pacific. The destructive effect of the shaped charge was identified as a jet moving at high velocities, consisting out of particles from the liner. The two methods developed were to destroy the jet by forcing it to act through a layer of explosives, disrupting the jet, and to make it act through

3135-559: Was modified for military applications. Typically, this involves adding armour for protection from battlefield hazards such as artillery, unexploded ordnance, mines, and small arms fire. Often this protection is provided by armour plates and steel jackets. Some examples of armoured civilian heavy equipment are the IDF Caterpillar D9 , American D7 TPK, Canadian D6 armoured bulldozer , cranes, graders, excavators, and M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck . Militarized heavy equipment may also take on

3192-525: Was proposed in the USSR by the Scientific Research Institute of Steel (NII Stali) in 1949 by academician Bogdan Vjacheslavovich Voitsekhovsky . The first pre-production models were produced during the 1960s. However, insufficient theoretical analysis during one of the tests resulted in all of the prototype elements being detonated. For a number of reasons, including the aforementioned accident and

3249-455: Was seen as the most practical option due to their casting properties. The mixture acted as an oxidiser which may explode when dispersed and heated. The Explosives Manufacturing Practices Laboratory seemingly developed a more middle road between chemical armor and explosive reactive armor concepts to counter the hollow charge threat. The idea of counterexplosion ( kontrvzryv in Russian) in armour

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