CONTACT-V MULTI-PURPOSE ERA SYSTEM

T-72 MBT

T-90/S MBT

No detonation when an ERA tile is hit by 7.62mm and 12.7mm bullets, fragments and 30mm ammunition;

No transfer of detonation between ERA boxes; no detonation of ERA tiles when exposed to incendiary mixtures (napalm);

Easy to install and maintain;

Operational in the temperature range of -50°C/+ 50°C.

Minimum service life of the ERA kit: 10 years.

1-st Generation add-on ERA ("Contact")

Principle of operation:

When the ERA tile is perforated by a shaped charge jet, the explosive inside the tile detonates and the metals plates of the tile casing start flying apart. During their flight they cross the jet trajectory. Therefore a part of the jet is used for penetration of the flying plates, and a side pulse from the collision destabilizes the jet.

Due to ERA the efficiency of HEAT warheads is reduced by 50-80%.

As for KE ammunition, this type of ERA does not affect its efficiency.
Protected area, % Weight, kg
Turret Hull front Hull side Turret Hull front Hull side
ERA kit for T-72S 62 82 32 422 288 300
Blazer ERA kit 70...75 80 0 876 ---

2-nd Generation ERA (integrated variant)

This ERA type is effective both against HEAT-warhead and KE ammunition.

Main challenges in developing the integrated ERA:

- how to ensure effective detonation of the ERA tiles from KE munition the velocity of which is not high enough;
- how to provide a strong enough side pulse to destabilize and destruct the KE penetrator.



These problems have been solved by using special design of ERA boxes.

The cover of the ERA box is made of a thick high-strength steel plate; when it is hit by a KE penetrator, a flow of high-velocity fragments is generated, which causes detonation of the ERA tiles. The counteraction of the flying thick cover is enough to drastically reduce the armor penetration of both HEAT warheads and KE penetrators.