Gulf War Tank Battle

In the latest Gulf War, I read newpaper reports of a tank battle at night between British Armoured Forces (The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, I think) and an Iraqi tank unit.

The tabloid headlines screamed "Scotland 14 - Iraqi 0", higlighting the result, (amount of kills each), like a football score.

Im sure the Scots would have been crewing the Challenger 2, but what vehicles would the Iraqis been likely using?

I guess it would probably have been an old Soviet type - T-72 at best? Did these even have night vision/fighting capability?

If anyone could enlighten me I would be grateful

Also, on the subject of Challenger 2, did the Iraqis have anything which could actually have penetrated the British Tanks Chobham Armour? (Ive been led to believe this armour type is among the best in the world?)

Thanks for any info!

 

The 125mm on the T-72 actually has penetration power comparable to that of the 120mm - its just less accurate. But when you consider the fact that the Iraqis were using downgraded 30 year old export models crewed by panicking iraqis the 14-0 score doesn't surprise you that much.

I'd be surprised if the Iraqis actually knocked out any coalition tanks at all. Would the RPG-7 be able to do it?

 

I have no idea what Iraq had left in their inventory by the last Gulf War, but the following tanks has been in their inventory during the last two decades : T54, T55, T62, T72, Chinese Type 69, Chieftain ( 50 operational tanks captured from the Iranians in 1982 ) and a few M60s and Scorpions.

 

The RPG-7V is capable of even knocking out an ABram and the proof is what happend in Baghdad. An Abram was knocked out by around 20 hits friom these weapons. And was finally destroyed by Hellfire missiles from an Apache to not allow the tank to fall into enemy hands.

 

And one Abrams was destroyed by a Russian AT missile on an UAZ.

 

You could probably knock out an Abrams (or Challenger) with a hand grenade if you got lucky. 20 RPG hits are bound to hit something that forces the tank to stop.

 

Where do you think an Abrams is most likely to be knocked out when hit? I was wondering where the Abrams was hit by the RPG7s to be knocked out.

 

Primarily tracks but a lucky shot may penetrate the engine louvres.

 

Infact, one Abrams was shot by infantry with AK-47s and PKs (they were quite desperate those Iraqis, I guess ). The bullets hit an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) on the roof of the Abe. It caught fire and the whole tank was turned to smoking scrapmetal.

 

Source please.

 

As far as I know, only three Abrams where destroyed or severly damaged in Iraq. Two have been destroyed by missiles, and one damaged severly by a mine.

 

I know of an Abrams that was taken out by an Ied/mine and one that was taken out with RPG 7's.

 

''I know of an Abrams that was taken out by an Ied/mine and one that was taken out with RPG 7's.''

Oeff, i saw a video of that, the explosion was about 10 times bigger than the Abrams, i'm sure nothing was left of the tank :cry:

The destroyed Abrams have either be destroyed by own troops, so Iraqi's wont use them again...
Or they have been shot at the back of the turret or the back of the hull (engine compartment) you can penetrate the back of an Abrams (hull and turret) with a 25mm cannon.
Í've also seen a picture of one taken out (left or right side hull) by some kind of Russain made AT weapon, no RPG, the US was suprised that they had this particulair weapon, don't know the name though.

I've also seen pictures of a Challenger 2 witch has about everything removed that could be used by the Iraqi's.

 

I guess you mean ATGM Konkurs?

 

I don't know, iv'e read an article about it, can't remeber the name or type.

 

I am surprised that the Iraqis even bother with the Abrams. My uncle says that in Mosul, the Iraqis start acting really careful not to do anything that might be seen as hostile when an Abrams comes out. He says the US Tankers will destroy any approaching vehical after curfew. I wonder how often they have to torch cars at night?

 

To my knowledge there have been no M1-A1/2s destroyed or disabled by RPG's. There was one case of an M1-A1 that was penetrated from the side by a very small penetration that caused no casulaties and no significant damage however as of yet there has been no determination as to what exactly penetrated the vehicle.
It's a bit of a mystery. May have been friendly fire however it would have to been something like the 25mm as the penetration was quite small.

There was at least one fire in the auxillary power unit on an M1-A1 that disabled the vehicle which was then destroyed by another Abrams to keep it from falling into Iraqi hands.

 

Maybe not completely destroyed, but quite a few Abrams have been hit at the rear hull by an RPG witch coused fire in the engine witch in his turn causes the tank to completely burn out...

 

Yeah the Abrams is pretty thick skinned.I would deffinatly go for a reat shot.

 

I would go for a rear shot on any tank