History
The idea of counterexplosion (kontrvzryv in Russian) in armor was first proposed by the Scientific Research Institute of Steel (NII Stali) in 1949 in the USSR by academician Bogdan Vjacheslavovich Voitsekhovsky (1922–99). 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 blown up. For a number of reasons, including the accident, as well as a belief that Soviet tanks had sufficient armor, 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 project.
Similar work was carried out by a West German researcher, Manfred Held in 1967–69. For the first time, reactive armor, created on the basis of the German experience, was installed on Israeli tanks during the Arab-Israeli Conflict in 1982 (the Lebanon War) and was judged effective.
Read more about this topic: Reactive Armour
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