rdfs:comment
| - The M83A2 SADAR is a lightweight one-shot anti-armor weapon capable of engaging enemy vehicles at ranges up to 1,000m. Fully disposable, the rocket's launcher is discarded after firing, whilst the rocket, a fire-and-forget weapon, guides itself toward the target. When stowed, the SADAR system consists of a watertight carbon-fiber composite blast tube, inside of which is an aluminum launch tube containing the missile and guidance electronics. The weapon is cocked by unlatching the forward ring of the blast tube and pulling the inner launch tube forwards until it locks. A trigger assembly and thermal acquisition sight are then flipped into position. The weapon activated by pushing a charge button on the trigger grip. From this point the weapon can be sighted and fired from the shoulder.
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abstract
| - The M83A2 SADAR is a lightweight one-shot anti-armor weapon capable of engaging enemy vehicles at ranges up to 1,000m. Fully disposable, the rocket's launcher is discarded after firing, whilst the rocket, a fire-and-forget weapon, guides itself toward the target. When stowed, the SADAR system consists of a watertight carbon-fiber composite blast tube, inside of which is an aluminum launch tube containing the missile and guidance electronics. The weapon is cocked by unlatching the forward ring of the blast tube and pulling the inner launch tube forwards until it locks. A trigger assembly and thermal acquisition sight are then flipped into position. The weapon activated by pushing a charge button on the trigger grip. From this point the weapon can be sighted and fired from the shoulder. When launched, the SADAR rocket accelerates to maximum velocity. As the rocket approaches the target, the guidance system selects the hottest part of the target (on a tank, usually the weakly protected engine deck) and flies an attack profile that offers optimum penetration. Against a tank, the projectile will typically climb briefly before diving on the target's thinner upper surfaces. The shaped-charge High Explosive Armor Piercing warhead is capable of defeating most light and medium armor. Since the SADAR is an open-chambered weapon, operators must allow for backblast. The rear of the blast tube is packed with small plastic slivers which fire backward on launch of the rocket and absorb much of this backblast; nonetheless, a cleared backblast zone of 10 meters behind the weapon is recommended, and care should be taken when launching the rocket from confined spaces. The SADAR may also be fired unguided like a traditional direct fire RPG, using a backup reticle sight to aim. This is commonly done in the field against objects like bunkers, pillboxes, crew-served weapons, supply dumps and communications centers — all of which do not give off a characteristic thermal signature. Though the rocket still has a maximum range of about 1,000m against these targets, unguided aiming is not accurate beyond 200m.
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