Three-tank RPG penetration test (1985)

One of Tom's students worked for the Army in the mid-1980s. The Army developed improved sabots that could penetrate multiple armor layers; a field demonstration with three old tanks lined up showed the round going through all six armor layers. The general present reportedly vomited at the implication for tank crews.

That's what they did to shoot through tank armor. One of my students worked for the Army in the mid 80s, and they had just come up with better sabots that could penetrate multiple layers of armor. They did a study in the field, and some major or brigadier general was there in the Armored Division. They took three old tanks and lined them up, and they shot right through all six layers of armor — two layers on each side of each tank. Apparently this general just tossed his cookies right there on the battlefield, because obviously anyone in those tanks was a goner. But it doesn't really matter — when was the last tank battle we had?