# Armored vehicle question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536 "2003-04-04T20:04:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/1 "2003-04-04T20:04:46Z")
Most of the armored vehicles I have seen during this war have several square shaped boxes attached to their hulls and/or turrets. They appear to be about two feet square and the interior looks like it contains venting or corrugated metal. What is the purpose of these? Something to do with detecting chem/bio weapons? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/2 "2003-04-04T20:57:18Z")
They’re some kind of recognition device. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/3 "2003-04-04T21:01:07Z")
I’ve seen things that look like the vents where the back window of the “Back to the Future” Delorian should be, is that what you’re talking about? ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/4 "2003-04-04T21:36:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*I’ve seen things that look like the vents where the back window of the “Back to the Future” Delorian should be, is that what you’re talking about? \*\* Never having seen the movie, I couldn’t say. Though now that you mention it, the venting looks a little like heat/ac vents in your car. I do have a picture that I will email to someone if they have a way to put make it available for viewing. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/5 "2003-04-04T21:57:53Z")
These are recognition devices. The slats can be flipped one way to show a special coating which shows up as a distinctive marking when viewed through a thermal sight (as used by US and British tanks and other forces in Iraq). Flipped the other way, they appear the same as the rest of the vehicle. This makes it easier for coalition forces to avoid shooting up their own side. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/6 "2003-04-04T21:58:02Z")
I’m not sure exactly what you’re talking about, but it could be reactive armor. [http://www.gdatp.com/Products/2002/arm\_systems/reactive\_armor/Reactive\_armor.html](http://www.gdatp.com/Products/2002/arm_systems/reactive_armor/Reactive_armor.html) Basically, some anti tank weapons use a shaped charge to pierce armor. A projectile will strike a vehicle, setting off a reaction in the projectile that forces hot gasses to be funneled through a nozzle on the tip of the round. Those gasses (read: explosive force) can be quite effective in breaking through most kinds of armor. Reactive armor basically consists of lots of little boxes with a flap and an explosive charge behind it. As a projectile strikes, the explosive charge goes off, forcing the flap to fly up, and the hot gasses released by the incoming projectile are disapated. Reactive armor isn’t used on the US main battle tank because its composite armor already provides excellent protection. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/armored-vehicle-question/166536/7 "2003-04-04T22:28:21Z")
\*\*Ravenman \*\* , no it’s not reactive armor. I am familiar with that. This is something I hadn’t seen until this war. **Bookkeeper,Rocketeer** , do you have a name for these recognition devices that I could use to look them up?