High-explosive anti-tank

High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a <a href="/facts/Shaped_charge/bJGUyrWM">shaped charge</a> explosive that uses the <a href="/facts/Munroe_effect/bJGUyrWM">Munroe effect</a> to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity shaped charge jet; this is capable of penetrating armor steel to a depth of seven or more times the diameter of the charge (charge diameters, CD). The shaped charge jet armor penetration effect is purely kinetic in nature; the round has no explosive or incendiary effect on the armor.
Unlike standard <a href="/facts/Armor_piercing_shell/wANVImYg">armor-piercing rounds</a>, a HEAT warhead's penetration performance is unaffected by the projectile's velocity, allowing them to be fired by lower-powered weapons that generate less <a href="/facts/Recoil/wGukfupU">recoil</a>.
The performance of HEAT weapons has nothing to do with <a href="/facts/Heat/FjDGssCs">thermal</a> effects, with HEAT being simply an <a href="/facts/Acronym/nlHK7aRt">acronym</a>.

High-explosive anti-tank open-in-new

High-explosive anti-tank