Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively using precision-guided artillery rounds with independently guided submunitions, so-called "smart ammunition" of the types SMArt 155 and BONUS which on the outside look like ordinary 155mm shells.
A notable episode of real combat application of these munitions was depicted in a video shared by the 47th Mechanized Brigade, featuring either SMArt 155 or 155 BONUS destroy a russian T-90M Proryv main battle tank.
Read more: This is What HIMARS Was Created For: 4 Missiles Wipe Out Four russian Msta-S Howitzers (Video)
Note: 47th Brigade Facebook page has been shut down which led to all videos disabled and links to the originals unavailable. This is the same video, reuploaded by Ukrinform
Destruction of a target begins with detecting it, followed by identification and locating the exact coordinates because any kind of precision-guided weapon needs no less precise target localization. All the data is transmitted to artillery units in real-time mode, then a single shot is launched.
When the artillery round approaches the target, it opens up at a certain altitude, and then submunitions are released and start acting independently. On a side note, both SMArt 155 and BONUS shells are filled with two sub-elements and both operate according to the same principle.
Each submunition has its own target acquisition system consisting of a dual mode homing head with both an infrared heat-seeker and a radar. The submunitions are equipped with either a parachute or winglets, so they have enough time mid-air to find the target. As soon as it's locked, the warhead is triggered, and an explosively formed penetrator is launched upon the target.
No "fire show" should be expected here as the piercing penetrator is actually a small slug forged of a conical metal liner and accelerated to the speed of approximately 5 km/s.
For that reason even professional cameras that record test shootings have trouble filming the explosively formed penetrator properly.
This metal element easily pierces through the outer layer of armor, in our case it's T-90M tank armor. It leads to a fire in the main compartment, most likely, the ammunition storage caught fire. Plus the fragments of breached armor become a threat of their own as they hit the crew inside the vehicle. In the video above, only the gunner managed to get out of the tank.
Read more: Two Submunitions, Two rusian Tanks Destroyed: That is How the SMArt 155mm Artillery Ammunition Should Work (Video)
