Survivability of an Active Protection System During Combat

Abstract : An Active Protection System (APS) consists of sensor(s), tracking radar(s), launcher(s), and countermeasure munitions. This technology is being postulated for the next generation of combat vehicles as well as a product improvement to existing vehicles. Active protection is believed to have a tremendous payoff by increasing the survivability of the ground combat vehicle without the burden of heavy armor. During combat, the components of the APS are subject to damage, which will degrade the performance of the APS. Using field data and engineering judgement, estimates of component damage from a single encounter are postulated for component packages of various sizes. This paper will answer the question: If an APS should last on average k rounds, then what size should the component package be?