The Northrop GrummanBrilliant Anti-Tank (BAT) is a United States submunition round dispensed from a missile. It is capable of independently identifying and attacking armored vehicles. The BAT uses acoustic sensors to identify its intended targets, and an infrared homing (IR) terminal seeker to image and aim at the attack target.
13 BATs were intended to be carried on the MGM-164 ATACMS Block II missile fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and related systems. Block I ATACMS missiles have a range of 128 km or more, but Block II was cancelled in 2003.
The BAT submunition was an outgrowth of the Assault Breaker Project.[1] This broad-ranging Cold War project’s objective was to develop advanced weapon systems to destroy a Sovietarmored assault across border between West Germany and East Germany. An early successful weapon system was the Hellfire Missile. The Hellfire was classified as a smart weapon because of the intelligence in the guidance system.
An obvious shortcoming of the Hellfire is that the launch platform must acquire the target and in so doing expose itself. The concept of the BAT was to be able to project the submunitions deep behind enemy lines and autonomously attack high-value armored formations before they could engage NATO forces. As originally envisioned, there would have been multiple platforms able to dispense the BAT. These include aircraft dispensers, artillery dispensers, and missile dispensers. The intelligence required of the BAT was much greater than the Hellfire and other weapon systems classified as smart, and the term "Brilliant" was applied.
Northrop was the prime contractor for the BAT. Much of the "brilliance" has to do with the submunitions' ability to distinguish high-value targets from low-value targets and strike them in known weak points.
The Assault Breaker Project included systems to detect Soviet armor formations deep behind the front lines. This included the Grumman E-8 Joint STARS (JSTARS).
Use scenarioedit
Designed to break up large mechanized formations, the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) fires missiles carrying BAT submunitions to the targeted formation. The BAT submunitions are dispensed over the target area. The “wings”, tail fins and retarders (parachutes) are deployed on each BAT. The four “wings” have directional microphones on each tip.
The BAT identifies high-value targets acoustically, using programs evolved from submarine warfare systems. The highest-value targets are selected and the Raytheon Optical system in the nose images the designated target. Each target's weakest point is selected. The retarder is dropped, the rocket motor fires, and the munition is optically guided. A tandem-charge warhead is used to defeat any reactive armour present. In addition, thrust from the rocket motor provides kinetic energy to help destroy the target.
Beyond developmentedit
With the Cold War over, the threat that instigated the Assault Breaker Project disappeared. Many of the weapon systems in development were abandoned as funds dried up. The only dispenser for the BAT is a missile launched from the MLRS, as the Air Force dropped plans for aircraft dispensers. Northrop was fond of the idea of using the B-2 Spiritstealth bomber to drop BATs anywhere in the world, but the unmodified BAT became a system that doesn't address a current threat. The current stockpiles are zero-funded, with neither further acquisition funds nor maintenance funds for existing stocks.[2]
Viper Strikeedit
Northrop has used adapted BAT missiles as the basis for the GBU-44/B Viper Strike weapons system for use on UAVs.
^The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber March 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^(PDF). April 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
External linksedit
Tomes, Robert R. (22 November 2012). "An historical review of US defense strategy from Vietnam to operation Iraqi freedom". Defense & Security Analysis. 28 (4): 303–315. doi:10.1080/14751798.2012.730722. S2CID 155070124.
December 17, 2023
brilliant, anti, tank, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, dece. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Brilliant Anti Tank news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Northrop Grumman Brilliant Anti Tank BAT is a United States submunition round dispensed from a missile It is capable of independently identifying and attacking armored vehicles The BAT uses acoustic sensors to identify its intended targets and an infrared homing IR terminal seeker to image and aim at the attack target 13 BATs were intended to be carried on the MGM 164 ATACMS Block II missile fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and related systems Block I ATACMS missiles have a range of 128 km or more but Block II was cancelled in 2003 Contents 1 History 2 Use scenario 3 Beyond development 4 Viper Strike 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 External linksHistory editThe BAT submunition was an outgrowth of the Assault Breaker Project 1 This broad ranging Cold War project s objective was to develop advanced weapon systems to destroy a Soviet armored assault across border between West Germany and East Germany An early successful weapon system was the Hellfire Missile The Hellfire was classified as a smart weapon because of the intelligence in the guidance system An obvious shortcoming of the Hellfire is that the launch platform must acquire the target and in so doing expose itself The concept of the BAT was to be able to project the submunitions deep behind enemy lines and autonomously attack high value armored formations before they could engage NATO forces As originally envisioned there would have been multiple platforms able to dispense the BAT These include aircraft dispensers artillery dispensers and missile dispensers The intelligence required of the BAT was much greater than the Hellfire and other weapon systems classified as smart and the term Brilliant was applied Northrop was the prime contractor for the BAT Much of the brilliance has to do with the submunitions ability to distinguish high value targets from low value targets and strike them in known weak points The Assault Breaker Project included systems to detect Soviet armor formations deep behind the front lines This included the Grumman E 8 Joint STARS JSTARS Use scenario editDesigned to break up large mechanized formations the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System MLRS fires missiles carrying BAT submunitions to the targeted formation The BAT submunitions are dispensed over the target area The wings tail fins and retarders parachutes are deployed on each BAT The four wings have directional microphones on each tip The BAT identifies high value targets acoustically using programs evolved from submarine warfare systems The highest value targets are selected and the Raytheon Optical system in the nose images the designated target Each target s weakest point is selected The retarder is dropped the rocket motor fires and the munition is optically guided A tandem charge warhead is used to defeat any reactive armour present In addition thrust from the rocket motor provides kinetic energy to help destroy the target Beyond development editWith the Cold War over the threat that instigated the Assault Breaker Project disappeared Many of the weapon systems in development were abandoned as funds dried up The only dispenser for the BAT is a missile launched from the MLRS as the Air Force dropped plans for aircraft dispensers Northrop was fond of the idea of using the B 2 Spirit stealth bomber to drop BATs anywhere in the world but the unmodified BAT became a system that doesn t address a current threat The current stockpiles are zero funded with neither further acquisition funds nor maintenance funds for existing stocks 2 Viper Strike editNorthrop has used adapted BAT missiles as the basis for the GBU 44 B Viper Strike weapons system for use on UAVs See also editGBU 44 B Viper StrikeFootnotes edit The Northrop Grumman B 2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Archived March 30 2008 at the Wayback Machine Viper Strike PDF April 2006 Archived from the original PDF on 2009 09 02 Retrieved 2009 07 15 External links editTomes Robert R 22 November 2012 An historical review of US defense strategy from Vietnam to operation Iraqi freedom Defense amp Security Analysis 28 4 303 315 doi 10 1080 14751798 2012 730722 S2CID 155070124 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brilliant Anti Tank amp oldid 1173104566, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
