Designation: | L-VAS |
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Manufacturer: | I.M.I. Israel Military Industries Ltd, Slavin Plant | |
Product type: | Ballistic Protection | |
Name: | Explosive reactive armour |
In order to maintain maximum safety of APCs personnel, and to increase battlefield survivability, the Land systems division of IMI has developed the Light Vehicle Armour System (L-VAS) which can be deployed on various models of the American M113 armored personnel carrier (APC).
The L-VAS system utilizes hybrid ballistic armor technology, to provide protection against various threats such as the Russian RPG-7V anti-tank rocket fitted with a single high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead, 14.5mm and 20mm armor piercing (AP) rounds and 155mm artillery fragments. The Russian Sagger anti-tank guided missile also falls into this threats basket.
The L-VAS is attached as modules, on the front and sides of the vehicle. Each module consists of layers of steel, rubber and ceramics, including explosive reactive armor (ERA). Each module can withstand direct or lateral multi-hits by explosive warheads or 14.5mm and 20mm AP's rounds. The modules can be easily replaced by two personals in several minutes.
The weight of the L-VAS protection suit is 2 tons, a figure that allows the APC to maintain its maneuverability and speed characteristics.
The price planned for the protection of one M113 APC is 75,000$, and the IDF has already ordered 100 of its APC's to be protected by the L-VAS system, although it seems like more orders will come in the future, as the system being a cost effective, and an excellent answer to IDF's APCs vulnerability.
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