Yes, the armor on the M1A1HA and M1A2 has a 2-4 inch layer of depleted Uranium oxide across it's front. It's high density makes it a great armor against KE penetrators.

It's not anymore radioactive then anything either. It's also contained within steel, so there really isn't a threat of radiation.

If the tank is punctured and the UO2 is released into the air, it is quite lethal if inhaled.

Originally Posted by Knightraptor

If the tank is punctured and the UO2 is released into the air, it is quite lethal if inhaled.

Quite lethal if you mean increasing the possibility of getting by 1% in the next decade. UO2 doesn't vaporize in the event of penetration, not to mention it's encased in steel and a spall liner, so inhaling it is hard.

Originally Posted by Knightraptor

If the tank is punctured and the UO2 is released into the air, it is quite lethal if inhaled.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a myth about uranium in the chogum armor.

What they didn't tell us until like 2 years ago was that the Depleted uranium warheads tanks use don't work because they're so hard. The reason you see turrets of T-72s blown hundreds of feet beyond the chassis is because the depleted uranium is actually a bit unstable. When it contacts another hard target at such high speeds the uranium breaks down causing a massive energy release. This release also is radioactive.

So using it as an armor is a bad bad idea unless you want your tank crews to turn into the incredible hulk.

Side Note: Some tank crews would exit the vehicle in inspect their kills after using DU rounds since they didn't even tell the tank crews that how the DU rounds actually worked. So they think a good portion of 'Gulf War Syndrum' is from radiation exposure. When a DU rounds is used in battle now it requires a special cleanup operation once the area is secure.

DU armor was at the very least used in M1A1 models.

The Abrams has been using Depleted Uranium (DU) armor since 1988.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...round/m1a1.htm

Oh well, I'm wrong on this one then. Just seems damned dangerous to me.

Originally Posted by Kozzy Mozzy

Quite lethal if you mean increasing the possibility of getting by 1% in the next decade. UO2 doesn't vaporize in the event of penetration, not to mention it's encased in steel and a spall liner, so inhaling it is hard.

Yeah i agree it would be rare. But even if a tiny amount of the UO2 got into your lungs via small particles or whatnot, it would do serious damage.

Originally Posted by Kozzy Mozzy

Yes, the armor on the M1A1HA and M1A2 has a 2-4 inch layer of depleted Uranium oxide across it's front. It's high density makes it a great armor against KE penetrators.

It's not anymore radioactive then anything either. It's also contained within steel, so there really isn't a threat of radiation.

Steel doesn't stop gamma radiation (which in small doeses is present in depleted uranium). It is toxic, but you need quite a bit to make it leathel. Tungsten is also toxic in its way, but not comparable to depleted uranium.

Originally Posted by Whispering Death

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a myth about uranium in the chogum armor.

What they didn't tell us until like 2 years ago was that the Depleted uranium warheads tanks use don't work because they're so hard. The reason you see turrets of T-72s blown hundreds of feet beyond the chassis is because the depleted uranium is actually a bit unstable. When it contacts another hard target at such high speeds the uranium breaks down causing a massive energy release. This release also is radioactive.

So using it as an armor is a bad bad idea unless you want your tank crews to turn into the incredible hulk.

Side Note: Some tank crews would exit the vehicle in inspect their kills after using DU rounds since they didn't even tell the tank crews that how the DU rounds actually worked. So they think a good portion of 'Gulf War Syndrum' is from radiation exposure. When a DU rounds is used in battle now it requires a special cleanup operation once the area is secure.

That is not true DU plates are welded to the front of the Chobam to defeat KE penetrators and it is stronger than regular steel, and the reason you see the T-72's turret blow off is because the ammo cooks off, same problem with the M4 Sherman models with no wet storage. Also the crap about the DU causing radiation poisioning is a lie, Natick and Aberdeen Test facilities tested it and found that the doses of radiation emission don't execede that of peace time regulations.

If radiation emission exceded 10% I wouldn't climb on any of the tanks here at Knox.

Originally Posted by AlexKall

Steel doesn't stop gamma radiation (which in small doeses is present in depleted uranium). It is toxic, but you need quite a bit to make it leathel. Tungsten is also toxic in its way, but not comparable to depleted uranium.

This is also not true, two feet of concrete wil stop Gamma, Alpha can be stopped by paper and Beta can be stopped by wood, ( I love this liitle pic)



What is Radiation?
Radiation is in every part of our lives. It occurs naturally in the earth and can reach us through cosmic rays from outer space. Radiation may also occur naturally in the water we drink or the soils in our backyard. It even exists in food, building materials, and in our own human bodies.

Radiation is used for scientific purposes, medical reasons, and to power some submarines. We can also come into contact with radiation through sources such as X-rays, nuclear power plants, and smoke detectors.
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/students/what.html



More infomation my be obtained at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/students/types.html