I'm guessing that they usually have Apache support but say they were out there on their own. Would they have a way to fire back at an enemy attack chopper?
2007-06-26 04:28:19 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
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I'm strickly wondering what surface to air weapons are on our tanks. That's the only focus of this question. Thanks.
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2007-06-26 04:46:33 · update #1
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Awsome. I appreciate it everybody.
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2007-06-26 04:56:57 · update #2
I have been a Tanker in the US army for 6 years. the guy who said there is a sam missile on a tank is dead wrong. all we have is the main gun a 120mm heat and sabot round, 2 7.62 machine guns and a.50 cal. machine gun. we don't have anti air defense. if we did come under fire from an attack chopper ( which we wouldn't because we would join the air force to take out all the enemy's air power before we even took tanks into the battle.) then we would close our hatch and move away as fast as possible because the top of the tank has very little armor.
2007-06-26 04:45:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
There are "packages" that prevent tanks from being on their own. The patriot missile system has a 72 mile radius and the linebacker (the Bradley armed with stinger missiles) has a 4 mile radius. The stinger missile can be launched by a bazooka like weapon.
The Russians have tank rounds that were made for Surface to air capability. Israel has a laser guided SA tank round called the Lahat that can be fired from the cannon of a M1A2. The U.S. is also developing a laser guided round called the MRM-CE.
U.S. tanks have shot down enemy helicopters in Iraq with their general laser guided sights.
Generally air to surface missiles have a longer range than the tank sight and with the mast radar. The profile of the helicopter can be the size of a human as the rest of the helicopter hides behind something such as a tree. At 8 km away, chances are the tank crew would never notice the helicopter.
2007-06-26 11:50:54 · answer #2 · answered by gregory_dittman 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Apache would not be any good against a modern fighter aircraft but the USA has anti air missiles and batteries plus we always own the air over the battlefields due to superior aircraft, numbers available and pilots and better control due to high altitude surveillance of the battle area with radar and visual devises which assures efficient control of assets.
2007-06-26 11:44:07 · answer #3 · answered by Nightstalker1967 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tanks don't, per se, have anti aircraft weapons (no SAMs on tanks), however, the .50 caliber machine gun can be used to engage a helicopter if it is close enough and at an altitude that is low enough for the .50 to elevate high enough to take it on. A hail of .50 bullets would be enough to make any pilot duck.
Realistically, however, we're not fighting anyone who has aircraft that can take on tanks (or aircraft period).
2007-06-26 11:44:13 · answer #4 · answered by John W 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tanks carry a dual-purpose anti-armor and anti-helicopter round called 'MPAT' (Multi-Propose Anti-Tank).
When used in 'air' mode it is in effect a proximity-fused 90mm antiaircraft round.
Doctrine is that whenever there is a possible helicopter threat one tank in each platoon will battlecarry an MPAT round set for 'air' mode.
2007-06-26 12:26:18 · answer #5 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You can use the loaders M240 MG or the TC's .50 cal if you have to.
2007-06-26 11:53:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
no, tanks do NOT have any SAMs or otherwise, air defence.
2007-06-26 14:07:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they have air defense , its called a sam missile....
2007-06-26 11:36:24 · answer #8 · answered by i pack a 44 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋