 |
M3A2 ODS "Operation Desert Storm" Bradley w/ERA, Explosive Reactive Armor |
Reactive Armours are a type of armour that reacts to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage to the vehicle. It is very effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened long rod penetrators. The most common type is explosive reactive armour (ERA), but variants include self-limiting explosive reactive armour (SLERA), non-energetic reactive armour (NERA), non-explosive reactive armour (NxRA), and electric reactive armour. Unlike ERA and SLERA, NERA and NxRA modules can withstand multiple hits, but a second hit in exactly the same location will still penetrate.
The first impetus to develop 'energetic' armours began in the 1960s after the expensive glass and ceramic armours proved defficient. The goal of such research was essentially to use the controlled release of energy to somehow destroy a forming HEAT jet.
