Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT)
Encyclopedia
The Northrop Grumman
Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT) is a US submunition round dispensed from a missile. It is capable of independently identifying and attacking armored vehicles. The BAT uses acoustic sensors to identify its intended targets, and an Infra-Red (IR) terminal seeker to image and aim at the attack target.
It was intended to carry 13 BATs on the MGM-164 ATACMS Block II missile fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
and related systems. Block I ATACMS missiles have a range of 128km or more, but Block II was cancelled in 2003.
border. An early successful weapon system was the Hellfire Missile
. The Hellfire was classified as a smart weapon because of the intelligence in the guidance system.
An obvious shortcoming of the Hellfire is that the launch platform must acquire the target and in so doing expose itself. The concept of the BAT was to be able to project the submunitions deep behind enemy lines and autonomously attack high value armored formations before they could engage NATO forces. As originally envisioned, there would have been multiple platforms able to dispense the BAT. These include aircraft dispensers, artillery dispensers and missile dispensers. The intelligence required of the BAT was much greater than the Hellfire and other weapon systems classified as smart, and the term "Brilliant" was applied.
Northrop was the prime contractor for the BAT. Much of the "brilliance" has to do with the submunitions' ability to distinguish high-value targets from low-value targets and strike them in known weak points.
The Assault Breaker Project included systems to detect Soviet Armor formations deep behind the front lines. This included the Grumman E-8 Joint STARS
(JSTARS).
(MLRS) fires missiles carrying BAT submunitions to the location designated by JSTARS. Over the designated area the BAT submunitions are dispensed. The “wings”, tail fins and retarders (parachutes) are deployed on each BAT. The four “wings” have directional microphones on each tip.
The BAT identifies high value targets acoustically, using programs evolved from submarine warfare systems. The highest value targets are selected and the Raytheon
Optical system in the nose images the designated target. Each target's weakest point is selected. The retarder is dropped, the rocket motor fires, and is optically guided. A tandem-charge
warhead is used to defeat any reactive armour
present. In addition, thrust from the rocket motor provides kinetic energy
to help destroy the target.
over, the threat that instigated the Assault Breaker Project disappeared. Many of the weapon systems in development were abandoned as funds dried up. The only dispenser for the BAT is a missile launched from the MLRS, the Air Force dropped plans for aircraft dispensers. Northrop was fond of the idea of using the B-2 Spirit
stealth bomber
to drop BATs anywhere in the world, but the unmodified BAT has become a system that doesn't address a current threat. The current stockpiles are zero-funded, with neither further acquisition funds nor maintenance funds for existing stocks.
Northrop has used adapted BAT missiles as the basis for the GBU-44/B Viper Strike weapons system for use on UAVs.
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT) is a US submunition round dispensed from a missile. It is capable of independently identifying and attacking armored vehicles. The BAT uses acoustic sensors to identify its intended targets, and an Infra-Red (IR) terminal seeker to image and aim at the attack target.
It was intended to carry 13 BATs on the MGM-164 ATACMS Block II missile fired from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is an armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher; a type of rocket artillery.Since the first M270s were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983, the MLRS has been adopted by several NATO countries. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured in the...
and related systems. Block I ATACMS missiles have a range of 128km or more, but Block II was cancelled in 2003.
History
The BAT submunition was an outgrowth of the Assault Breaker Project. This broad ranging cold war project’s objective was to develop advanced weapon systems to destroy a Soviet Armored Assault across the West-GermanWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
border. An early successful weapon system was the Hellfire Missile
AGM-114 Hellfire
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile developed primarily for anti-armor use. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike capability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision...
. The Hellfire was classified as a smart weapon because of the intelligence in the guidance system.
An obvious shortcoming of the Hellfire is that the launch platform must acquire the target and in so doing expose itself. The concept of the BAT was to be able to project the submunitions deep behind enemy lines and autonomously attack high value armored formations before they could engage NATO forces. As originally envisioned, there would have been multiple platforms able to dispense the BAT. These include aircraft dispensers, artillery dispensers and missile dispensers. The intelligence required of the BAT was much greater than the Hellfire and other weapon systems classified as smart, and the term "Brilliant" was applied.
Northrop was the prime contractor for the BAT. Much of the "brilliance" has to do with the submunitions' ability to distinguish high-value targets from low-value targets and strike them in known weak points.
The Assault Breaker Project included systems to detect Soviet Armor formations deep behind the front lines. This included the Grumman E-8 Joint STARS
E-8 Joint STARS
The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System is a battle management and command and control aircraft of the United States Air Force...
(JSTARS).
Use scenario
The following is a scenario envisioned for the destruction of Soviet Armor formations behind enemy lines. JSTARS detects the armor formation, assesses the threat and allocates BAT to break up the formation. M270 Multiple Launch Rocket SystemM270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is an armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher; a type of rocket artillery.Since the first M270s were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983, the MLRS has been adopted by several NATO countries. Some 1,300 M270 systems have been manufactured in the...
(MLRS) fires missiles carrying BAT submunitions to the location designated by JSTARS. Over the designated area the BAT submunitions are dispensed. The “wings”, tail fins and retarders (parachutes) are deployed on each BAT. The four “wings” have directional microphones on each tip.
The BAT identifies high value targets acoustically, using programs evolved from submarine warfare systems. The highest value targets are selected and the Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
Optical system in the nose images the designated target. Each target's weakest point is selected. The retarder is dropped, the rocket motor fires, and is optically guided. A tandem-charge
Tandem-charge
A tandem-charge weapon is an explosive device or projectile that has two or more stages of detonation. It is effective against cage armor, which is designed to protect an armored vehicle against anti-tank munitions. The first stage of the weapon triggers the reactive armor of the target, limiting...
warhead is used to defeat any reactive armour
Reactive armour
Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened long rod penetrators...
present. In addition, thrust from the rocket motor provides kinetic energy
Kinetic energy
The kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes...
to help destroy the target.
Beyond development
With the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
over, the threat that instigated the Assault Breaker Project disappeared. Many of the weapon systems in development were abandoned as funds dried up. The only dispenser for the BAT is a missile launched from the MLRS, the Air Force dropped plans for aircraft dispensers. Northrop was fond of the idea of using the B-2 Spirit
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is an American heavy bomber with low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty -class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen ...
stealth bomber
Stealth aircraft
Stealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to avoid detection by employing a combination of features to interfere with radar as well as reduce visibility in the infrared, visual, audio, and radio frequency spectrum. Development of stealth technology likely began in Germany during...
to drop BATs anywhere in the world, but the unmodified BAT has become a system that doesn't address a current threat. The current stockpiles are zero-funded, with neither further acquisition funds nor maintenance funds for existing stocks.
Northrop has used adapted BAT missiles as the basis for the GBU-44/B Viper Strike weapons system for use on UAVs.