Vietnam era Claymorette truck prototype
Posted by Just-Sale-7015@reddit | shittytechnicals | View on Reddit | 35 comments
From a 1966 NYT article
Mines to Repel Ambushes
General Boles also displayed Claymorettes, small Claymore mines that can be placed on the outside of a vechile and activated from the inside. “This was developed in the United States in response to a requirement that we described here," the general said. "The big Claymore mines we tried at first for the same purpose were too powerful. The blast damaged the truck and hurt the ears of the men inside it.” The Claymorette is intended to repel ambushes of truck convoys. When the ambush force closes in on the convoy, according to the plan, Claymorettes hurl steel balls outward from the trucks in a wide arc.
Akconcentrates@reddit
Why dont they use a modified version against drones?!?! Kind of like Israel’s system on their tanks that shoots down incoming missles/rockets.
Just-Sale-7015@reddit (OP)
Reportedly it has some issue with triggering against low speed drones. Almost like those personal shields from Dune, kek.
kommanderkush201@reddit
Best comment I've read on reddit in like 3 weeks
Immediate_Total_7294@reddit
Probably wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world but reloading it would be difficult. I can imagine some type of 360 degree set up maybe on the turret of a tank that would go off when drones are nearby. The problem I see though is having enough ammunition on the outside of the tank to take on multiple drones.
Akconcentrates@reddit
True!
Immediate_Total_7294@reddit
A multi-sided shotgun type weapon with sensors on it would probably work better since the shotguns could keep rounds in them.
Jeremyvmd09@reddit
Ok hear me out, we have phalanx ciws for missles right, so what if you took a bunch of American 180s in 22lr cuz they have a crazy cyclic rate and mounted them to a sensor like the ciws for drones. Miniaturize the phalanx. I can’t imagine drones being able to survive that onslaught.
Akconcentrates@reddit
Now we’re cookin! A compact shottie with a conical mag or some type of compact drum, and it wouldnt need a long barrel, literally an inch!
Maar7en@reddit
They do.
There are a bunch of active defence systems out there and they can often work against drones(if the drone is inside the aiming area for the system)
neojhun@reddit
Cost to Success Rate is very poor. Drones don't have predictable parabolic path. They can do what ever they want. Heck they can Reverse.
Akconcentrates@reddit
Im talking about using sensors and when the drone crosses within say 20ft of the vehicle it triggers the nearest mines to go off. It doesnt have to stop the drone way out, just so it doesn’t make contact and the shape charge cant function.
TacTurtle@reddit
That is sorta how the Russian's marginally effective system worked on T-72s
El_Mnopo@reddit
BROADSIDE
shrikelet@reddit
TOWARDS ENEMY
IBlackKiteI@reddit
Now imagining opposing lines of claymore trucks rolling past and blasting away at each other like ships of the line
Miguel-odon@reddit
Trucks, racing across rough terrain, trying to get cross each other's T
El_Mnopo@reddit
I'm going to tell my kids this is Master and Commander: Far Side of the World
1stAtlantianrefugee@reddit
Witness me!
THESOVIETGRIZZLY@reddit
Lmaooo what could go wrong!
Kid_Vid@reddit
Jesus Christ did they test it with actual soldiers??
Unfortunately, your hearing loss is not service related, experiments doesn't count
Great_White_Sharky@reddit
If i remember correctly attaching claymores to vehicles was an actual thing soldiers improvised in the field, so they would have combat experience about it, not just testing
skeptical-speculator@reddit
There is a reason people say you should never volunteer for anything in the military.
226_Walker@reddit
Hearing loss would have been the least of their problems.
low_priest@reddit
TacticoolOoferator@reddit
Send in the Florks!
OisforOwesome@reddit
MRAP: Mines Really Are Pretty Neat
Immediate_Total_7294@reddit
Do they all fire simultaneously? And do they need to be reloaded after each shot? I feel like that would be bad for friendly infantry though. If you have your own guys around the vehicle and you set this thing off you could definitely take out your own guys.
Daddy_Jaws@reddit
these are vietnam era convoy trucks, where supply conveys would drive between roads and frequently be ambushed.
armored gun trucks were another thing they did to protect the convoy
SamIamGreenEggsNoHam@reddit
I imagine the idea is to deal with being ambushed while on the move. Imagine a convoy of a few of these bringing troops from one place to another, or maybe supplies. An ambush is sprung and the first and last vehicles are hit and disabled. Usually, everyone dismounts and fights their way out. What if first, the drivers blast the jungle with their 60 claymores, and you just have to fight whats left?
I see the idea bred from necessity here.
Just-Sale-7015@reddit (OP)
Simple solution: never get out of the truck. Somewhat easier if it's armored though. It is what the Israelis do to avoid friendly fire from hard APS tho.
BewaretheBanshee@reddit
“Where was our machine gunner?”
“He went to take a leak!”
“…Ah…well looks like he’ll be coming back with more than one.”
Just-Sale-7015@reddit (OP)
Found another image, clearly a diff truck, with more obvious cable triggers going to the cabin.
0peRightBehindYa@reddit
Backblast area is NOT clear!
credit-card_declined@reddit
Poor man's ERA
5v3n_5a3g3w3rk@reddit
Just have to trigger it at the right time