The Steel Ballistic Resistance Directly Affecting Logistics-Related Expenditures

Abstract

As far as the projectile/armour interaction is concerned, it can be generally stated that the interaction triggers degradation processes, and subsequently leads to a limit state in the material. The nature of the armour plate damage is directly related to the type of ammunition used and indirectly to the operating conditions (the shooter’s capability, the technical condition of the weapon, etc.). The paper examines limit conditions (critical temperature), under which ballistic resistance, which is measured based on determined mean velocity V50, decreases. Military vehicles deployed in peace missions abroad operate under various climatic conditions characterised by significant temperature variations in the course of day. When superposing the ambient temperature influence and the ammunition effect, the projectile penetration through the material and unexpected expenditures relating to the restoration of the damaged material original properties can be assumed. In addition to the efficient use of public financial means, foreign operation logistic support planning must take possible damage to the military vehicles, resulting from enemy’s combat activities, into consideration. On the basis of the determined mean velocity within the temperature range -80 °C to 100 °C, the correlation of selected material characteristics was studied. In order to determine the share of the test temperature in the material degradation states, the experiment was supplemented with a fractographic analysis and transmission electron microscopy.