Protection of armoured vehicles against chemical, biological and radiological contamination

Abstract

The article presents problems related to mechanical protection of vehicles with different add-on armours against chemical, biological and radiological contamination. This applies to vehicles with additional passive, reactive and hybrid protection in the form of cassettes against piercing with anti-tank projectiles, piercing with their kinetic energy of impact, and as a result of chemical energy of shaped charges as well as explosively formed projectiles. It has been shown how increased ballistic protection of these vehicles at the same time reduces their decontaminability in various places of the vehicle due to the increased additional surface of the vehicle with cassettes. Prevention of contamination of these cassettes has been presented as a way of reducing hard to reach surface for decontamination and a method of insulating construction elements (stands), fixing these cassettes to the vehicle, from the environment to prevent contact with contaminated liquids and dusts. The selection of appropriate materials is shown, which may affect the improvement of the decontamination efficiency of the vehicle with such cassettes. This applies to the use of materials with low absorption of chemical warfare agents, which prevent the accumulation of large amounts of these agents on contaminated surfaces and improve the effectiveness of decontamination. It also shows how to ensure better access of the disinfectant to as much of the vehicle surface as possible, covered with cassettes that have been contaminated. It shows how a vehicle, in particular with such cassettes, can provide protection against radar detection when Radar Absorbent Material is used on vehicle cassettes.