AMAP-ADS Active Protection System

AMAP-ADS is a hard-kill Active Protection System (APS), developed by the company IBD Deisenroth Engineering. The system is also known under the names AAC (Sweden) and Shark (France). Due to its modular design it can be adapted to a broad range of vehicles. Especially light vehicles can be protected against large caliber weapons which would otherwise be impossible because they can only be equipped with light armor.

Design

The system has a modular design that can be adapted to almost every vehicle. The main elements – as can be seen on photos of the quoted webpages – are the sensor-countermeasure modules arranged all around the vehicle. A processor determines the type and the trajectory of the approaching target. Subsequently a countermeasure module close to the calculated impact point is activated. This countermeasure ejects "directed energy" destroying or disrupting the approaching threat so that it cannot penetrate the vehicle.

The arrangement of sensors and countermeasures provides a hemispherical protection. The overlapping sectors of the sensor-countermeasure modules enable the system to defeat multi-attacks. Due to the short reaction time of less than 1 millisecond threats can be eliminated at ranges of less than 50 ft (15 m). Since the countermeasures create a non-fragmenting strong directed energy beam, collateral damage to nearby troops or civilians is minimized. These are important aspects in urban environment. In comparison to other hard-kill systems there are no moving parts. This makes ADS light and reduces power requirements. Therefore it can be installed on light weight vehicles.

According to sources the system can defeat shaped charges used in RPGs and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) as well as kinetic energy penetrator threats and explosively formed penetrators (EFPs).

The system is not intended to completely substitute passive base armor. Larger caliber projectiles will only be fragmented and not entirely deflected. Therefore a minimum of passive armor is still required to absorb the residual energy of the fragments.

Applications

Prototypes have already been tested on several vehicles: SEP and CV90120 (Sweden), AMV 8x8 (Finland) and LMV (Italy)

AMAP-ADS - Successful Demonstration on the SEP-Platform

ADS GmbH and BAE Systems Hägglunds have initiated a cooperation to integrate the Active Armor Concept (AAC), the Swedish version of AMAP-ADS, on the SEP platform. The design goal is to accomplish a highly mobile, light-weight and superiorly protected vehicle. The integrated concept was demonstrated on the 17th of April in Sweden and showed an excellent ability to withstand a typical urban warfare scenario in different aspects.During the demonstration the following attacks were performed:

Firing with 7.62 as an example of a non-threat (threat rejection) Firing with 2 RPG-7 at the same hit point as an example of multi-hit attacks The attacks were launched at a distance of about 50 m which is typical for short range attacks in urban missions.

References

Strategie & Technik International Edition II/2007, Active Stand-Off Protection Systems, p.35-43

External links

* [http://www.ibd-deisenroth.de/index.html Webpage of Manufacturer]
* [http://www.baesystems.com/Sites/SEPDemo/index.htm SEP DEMO]
* [http://www.ntxbook.com/ntxbooks/aw/dti0408/index.php?startid=26 Counter Punch]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/products/a/ads-ibd.htm Active Defense System (ADS)]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/events/2007/summary/dsei07_aps.htm Active Protection Systems Are Maturing]