China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) has developed a family of explosive armour (ERA) systems which can be fitted to new or older tanks to improve their battlefield survivability against attack from High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) projectiles and, in some cases, Kinetic Energy (KE) projectiles and tandem HEAT projectiles.

So far there are no known production applications for the NORINCO ERA, although an export version of the NORINCO Type 90 series MBT has been observed fitted with ERA.

For trials purposes, the NORINCO ERA has been fitted to a US 90 mm armed M48A3 and a Chinese 100 mm armed Type 59 MBT.

On a typical tank the ERA boxes would be mounted over the frontal arc, including the turret front and sides and, perhaps, along the hull sides. A space is normally left between the ERA box and the tank hull structure.

There are at least three types of NORINCO ERA. The Type I weighs 100 kg/cm2 with steel plates 13 mm thick. This is claimed to reduce the armour penetration of a single HEAT warhead by over 70 per cent.

The Type II weighs 200 kg/cm2 with the steel plates 26 mm thick. This is claimed to reduce the armour penetration of a single HEAT warhead by over 70 per cent and KE penetration by over 30 per cent.

Finally, the Type III weighs 250 kg/cm2 and uses steel plates 32.5 mm thick. This is claimed to reduce the armour penetration of a single HEAT or tandem warhead by over 70 per cent.

The ERA is only initiated by a HEAT warhead or a large calibre KE warhead. It will not be initiated by fire, gas cutting or sympathetic detonation.

According to NORINCO, the main advantages of their family of ERA armour systems can be summarised as a high level of protection, lightweight, simple structure and manufacturing technology, low cost, easy installation and boxes can be quickly replaced under field conditions.

Development complete. Ready for production.