據報道,以色列拉斐爾先進防務系統公司推出的Trophy “戰利品”坦克主動防護系統已順利完成實彈測試,進入試裝備階段。該系統能探測到來襲目標(如導彈),並在坦克被擊中前將其攔截。如果得以大量裝備以軍,“戰利品”系統將成為全球首款正式服役的戰車主動防護系統,對未來坦克的設計思路具有重大意義。
表面上看,號稱“陸戰之王”的坦克依仗重甲護身,在戰場上橫衝直撞,好不威風。但實際情況遠非如此,在花樣翻新的反坦克武器威脅下,坦克早已不復當年之勇。在2006年與黎巴嫩真主黨的衝突中,以軍共有數十輛坦克被打癱、擊毀,造成19名乘員死亡。這場戰爭結束後,坦克主動防護技術得到更大的重視,軍方追加了對“戰利品”的投資並催促拉斐爾公司加快研發。
據了解,從上世紀90年代起,拉斐爾公司及合作夥伴就開始研製“戰利品”系統。目前,該系統已進行了700多次測試,在首批試點中已有少量“梅卡瓦”4型主戰坦克安裝該系統。 “戰利品”曾於2004年的美國陸軍年會展和2009年的英國國際防務裝備展上亮相,美國通用動力公司地面系統分部參與了部分技術升級工作。
“戰利品”系統包括搜索雷達和跟踪雷達,以及位於二者之間的對抗武器發射器,能為裝甲車輛提供360度全方位防護。雷達系統包括4個凝視陣列:兩個位於砲塔頂部中間,朝前;另外兩個位於砲塔尾艙後面。一對對抗武器發射器分別安裝於砲塔兩側。系統探測到來襲目標後,會立即射出攔阻炮火併自動重新裝填,直到目標偏離車身為止。
以方對“戰利品”系統的保密十分嚴格,造價、可對抗武器類型等信息一概未透露。以媒體猜測,該系統單價約20萬美元。根據已進行的實彈測試,它應能對抗火箭彈、美製“陶”式反坦克導彈、俄製“短號”反坦克導彈等。
以色列軍方目前已接收了5套“戰利品”系統,其中3套試裝到了“梅卡瓦”4型坦克上。近期的測試表明,該系統的確能有效提高坦克的防護性能,包括對反坦克導彈和便攜式火箭彈的防護。據估算,軍方對“戰利品”的全部採購數量在100套左右。
The AssociatedPress reportsthat Trophy system has now been officially introduced by Israel. If the system can prove itselffunctional on the battlefield, it could change the face of groundcombat and tip the balance of power in Israel's favor if the nationgoes to war against Hezbollah or other militant groups in theregion.
John Pike from GlobalSecurity.orgtold the AP,"I think people will be watching the Israelis roll this thingout and see if they can get the hang of it. The future of the UnitedStates army is riding on the proposition that something like this canwork."
The U.S. military is working on its own similarsystem that isn’t ready for the battlefield just yet. Accordingto the developers of the Trophy system, it is capable of stopping anyanti-tank weapon in the Hezbollah arsenal. These weapons weredirectly responsible for the deaths of at least 19 Israeli tankcrewmen during the war between Israel and Hezbollah that raged for amonth in 2006.
A Trophy program manager only identified as Gilsaid, "We can cope with any threat in our neighborhood, andmore."
The system is said to cost about $200,000 perinstallation and the amount is described as a small fraction of thecost of a tank. Rafael, the company behind Trophy, expects that thesystem will generate lots of international interest and the firmexpects customers to order the Trophy system in the coming years. |