How hard would i have to throw a rock to penetrate the frontal armour of a tank?

[Azadina]

No one here knows what the frontal armour of a T-90 is made of since it is classified and written in Russian, anyone giving exact details is making shit up or about to get a visit from some very scary men.

The way I understand about those things, is that the hull is measured in what it's equivalent in steel. Tanks fronts have something like 1200-1500mm worth of steel in protection. So you wouldn't need to know the exact make up or thickness, if you know what it equals to in steel. So if you have something that penetrates 1500mm of steel, then it will penetrate whatever makes up to 1200mm equivalent in steel for example.

[Myta]

I have always wondered about this, it'd be really useful in case the Russians invade again.

Oh yeah, the rock weights 90 kilograms.

It depends on the rock but people ignore material properties of objects, rocks are actually fairly porous and hard, but not harder than thick plate steel. It's not just about how fast you can throw something if it disintegrates on contact, the amount of force the rock would apply to the tank upon shattering would impart only a fraction of it's energy than if it was made of a much harder material of the same weight such as tungstun. So the speed at which you would need to throw the rock to dent the tank (and I'm not a physics student or know the intense math this would require) would probably require more force than what we're capable of. Even bullets designed to pierce through materials travel at supersonic speeds have need to be made of tungstun to punch through tank armor. The A10 warthog fires large tungstun bullets specifically in it's role as a tank killer.

So to fire that rock at sufficient speed would require more force than humans are capable of even at our most cutting edge of tech, let alone raw strength.

[Draco-Onis]

Well that's a simple google search away.

Tank penetrating round generates 12,090,125 joules (8917218 ft-lbs), an Olympic level heavy weight can generate 1350 joules per punch so you would need insane superhuman strength to propel a rock to generate that much force.

[Ghostpanther]

When I was a tank driver, the frontal armor thickness was 11" of steel. 4" thick in the back. And the front was shaped so it was very hard for any round to penetrate. The main weakness for a tank was the rear or sides, esp. the tracks. Today, the modern Abrams tanks have reactive armor. So they are even harder to penetrate. Forget taking a tank out with a frontal assault. :P

[Deleted]

If the projectile weights 90 kg, my best guess would be to use a counterweight that would cover, at least, 300 meters from your position. A trebuchet is, therefore, highly recommended.

[Ghostpanther]

If the projectile weights 90 kg, my best guess would be to use a counterweight that would cover, at least, 300 meters from your position. A trebuchet, is therefore, highly recommended.

When I was in the Army, a jet fighter crashed into a tank during a battle training exercise, which completely destroyed the plane and killed the pilot. All 4 crew members in the tank survived and the main damage to the tank was some lost teeth on the turret ring. :P

[Deleted]

hm why not do this instead:

-get a rock.
-Get a sheet of tank steel

-put the tank steel under a hydraulic press with the rock inbetween
--if the rock doens't crumble under the forces, good for you, if it does, choose another material.

--if you penetrate the steel, note the force needed.
-then find out at which speed you'd need to throw that 90 kg rock for it to have as much momentum needed to breach the tank sheet on a tank. with physics and math

-practice and bulk up.
-wait for the russians (or w/e regime is coming).
-have fun

[kasuke06]

No one here knows what the frontal armour of a T-90 is made of since it is classified and written in Russian, anyone giving exact details is making shit up or about to get a visit from some very scary men.

Steel-composite-reactive blend vs APFSDS: 550 mm + 250–280 mm with Kontakt-5 = 800–830 mm; vs HEAT: 650–850 mm + 500–700 mm with Kontakt-5 = 1,150–1,350 mm

Or has access to wikipedia. I know it's unreliable, but at the same time it's usually somewhat close to the ballpark of right.

[Ghostpanther]

Steel-composite-reactive blend vs APFSDS: 550 mm + 250–280 mm with Kontakt-5 = 800–830 mm; vs HEAT: 650–850 mm + 500–700 mm with Kontakt-5 = 1,150–1,350 mm

Or has access to wikipedia. I know it's unreliable, but at the same time it's usually somewhat close to the ballpark of right.

Basically very tough shit and anyone trying to take one out, will try to get behind it if possible.

[Deathquoi]

About the same punch as a 50 cal. sniper rifle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_M82

Even a 50 cal round from an M82 isn't going to punch through the frontal armor of a modern MBT.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Either way, it'd take way too much effort. I'd rather just use a really big, loud and effective weapon!

[Halyon]

Even a 50 cal round from an M82 isn't going to punch through the frontal armor of a modern MBT.

What's an MBT, and there was just said 'a tank' not a specific one.

[Deleted]

What's an MBT, and there was just said 'a tank' not a specific one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_battle_tank

[Azadina]

Even a 50 cal round from an M82 isn't going to punch through the frontal armor of a modern MBT.

It might scratch the paint

[Halyon]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_battle_tank

Then there's no way in hell anything the size of a small projectile that'll go through the frontal armor of a tank.

It's a dumb place to aim.

[kasuke06]

Basically very tough shit and anyone trying to take one out, will try to get behind it if possible.

well yeah, remember the very first antitank weapon? Molotov smashed on top of the engine compartment's intakes.

[dwightyo39]

Wait for the tank to be distracted and climb up on it. Hold on, because it will try and throw you off! Locate the vulnerable spot, and begin smashing your rock on it. Keep doing so until the tank dies.

It's pretty much like Shadow of the Colossus.

[caervek]

My guess is that most rocks would pulverize on impact before penetrating tank armor. Unless, of course, they are really, really big rocks.

As the weight is a constant factor increasing the size would reduce the chances of penetration and increase the chances of pulverizing. This is why depleted uranium rounds are so good at it, their density to size ratio far exceeds that of older shells.

[SnorlaxJeng]

Question is more like what is the shape, density and mass of said trajectory and target. It's meaning less how fast and hard you can throw when the rock itself either disintegrates before arrival or doesn't have enough mass/density to make penetration even possible.

[Deathquoi]

Then there's no way in hell anything the size of a small projectile that'll go through the frontal armor of a tank.

It's a dumb place to aim.

Yup, and even with a heavy enough penetrator fired at a fast enough muzzle velocity, reactive armor just destroys it before it hits. Tank warfare is an ever escalating game of Rock Paper Scissors. Your enemy puts thicker armor, you develop a squash head round, they develop reactive armor, you develop kinetic penetrators, they develop radar detonated reactive armor, and on and on it goes.