# On these tanks on an exercise, what is covered by a shroud? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816 "2018-06-10T12:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/1 "2018-06-10T12:53:17Z")
See [photo](https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2018/05/000_14M0LD-e1525732547750.jpg). Caption: An Israeli soldier next to Merkava Mark IV tanks in the Golan Heights during a military drill on May 7, 2018. (AFP PHOTO / JALAA MAREY) I don’t think it’s something super secret but some component being temporarily protected. Otherwise I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/2 "2018-06-10T13:26:53Z")
SEWAG Coaxial machine gun (a Browning M2 .50 cal apparently), covered to keep all that crap that’s all over the hull off and, more importantly, out of it. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/3 "2018-06-10T13:27:33Z")
It’s just a machine gun. I expect they don’t intend to use it during a drill. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/4 "2018-06-10T13:56:01Z")
As has been noted it is a machine gun. You can see it more clearly in [this picture](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EAggCEn_Ya8/maxresdefault.jpg). If you want to Google more pictures that is the Israeli main battle tank [Merkava](https://www.google.com/search?q=Merkava). ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/5 "2018-06-10T14:51:18Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > SEWAG Coaxial machine gun (a Browning M2 .50 cal apparently), covered to keep all that crap that’s all over the hull off and, more importantly, out of it. > > CMC fnord! Thnx to all. 😕“SEWAG”? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/6 "2018-06-10T15:05:59Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 😕“SEWAG”? Semi Educated Wild Ass Guess CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/7 "2018-06-10T15:09:57Z")
So _that’s_ why all my Boolean combos on Google with “coaxial machine gun” came up empty. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/8 "2018-06-10T15:12:01Z")
FN Herstal M2, FTR. I think. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/9 "2018-06-10T17:39:53Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > As has been noted it is a machine gun. You can see it more clearly in [this picture](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EAggCEn_Ya8/maxresdefault.jpg). Anyone know what the sandbag looking dealies on the turrets are? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/10 "2018-06-10T18:08:45Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Anyone know what the sandbag looking dealies on the turrets are? Vehicle crew sustainment, clothing, gear, snacks. Probably some stowed camo netting as well. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/11 "2018-06-10T19:44:27Z")
“Sustainment.” A word from that bizarro language used only by the military. Have you ever inquired of **Mrs. Nenno** for a sustainment assessment before a picnic? Unless I truly misunderstood the word, and “clothing, gear, and snacks” are not members of sustainment, but in addition to it. In which case: 😕 “Sustainment”? ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/12 "2018-06-10T20:01:06Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Anyone know what the sandbag looking dealies on the turrets are? You aren’t likely to get a much more detailed answer than Bear\_Nenno gave you. Units typically have a load plan for the most important stuff. The load plan SOP can vary unit to unit though and levels of enforcement can also vary. Then there are all the less important, optional, and outright civilian purchased items that need to be put somewhere. Why do tankers take so much stuff to the field? Because we can. At a relatively extreme level, somewhere there’s probably pictures of an Abrams with a 55 gallon drum strapped to the bustle rack that I could explain if I saw the unit’s bumper number. It was the company grill for one of the units in my old battalion. They took it to the field during training. The First Sergeant rotated which platoon had grill duty; profits went to the Family Readiness Group. Because we can. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/13 "2018-06-10T21:45:50Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Vehicle crew sustainment, clothing, gear, snacks. Probably some stowed camo netting as well. Gotta confess, I was hoping for something more tacticool and 'splodey. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/14 "2018-06-10T21:55:51Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Gotta confess, I was hoping for something more tacticool and 'splodey. Tanks, by definition, are already tacticool and ['splodey](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tank+main+gun+firing&&view=detail&mid=131CE633EB7F41504181131CE633EB7F41504181&&FORM=VRDGAR) enough. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/15 "2018-06-10T22:05:52Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Tanks, by definition, are already tacticool and ['splodey](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tank+main+gun+firing&&view=detail&mid=131CE633EB7F41504181131CE633EB7F41504181&&FORM=VRDGAR) enough. In the video you linked what is the fat part on the barrel of the gun for (seems the Merkava has one too)? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/16 "2018-06-10T22:12:18Z")
IIRC, the .05 isn’t a coaxial, strictly speaking - it’s there for training purposes, to simulate firing the main gun. The gunner aims the 120mm, but instead of firing a very expensive tank round, he shoots a much cheaper 0.5 bullet. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/17 "2018-06-10T22:34:04Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > In the video you linked what is the fat part on the barrel of the gun for (seems the Merkava has one too)? Bore Evacuator. > **[Bore evacuator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bore_evacuator)** > > A bore evacuator or fume extractor is a device which removes lingering gases and airborne residues from the barrel of an armored fighting vehicle's gun after firing, particularly in tanks and self-propelled guns. By creating a pressure differential in the barrel after the shell leaves, the bore evacuator causes most of the propellant gases and combustion residues to exit via the muzzle. Thus, when the breech opens for reloading, those gases and residues do not escape into the crew compartment and... ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/18 "2018-06-10T23:54:22Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > In the video you linked what is the fat part on the barrel of the gun for (seems the Merkava has one too)? I came across this today. Most of what would normally be a brass or steel shell is basically a cardboard tube that burns up. This leaves a bit of debris in the barrel. The bore excavator sends a puff of gas through after firing that pretty much sweeps the barrel clean after the round is fired. It’s fascinating. [https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringPorn/comments/8q0m57/how\_a\_bore\_evacuator\_aka\_fume\_extractor\_works\_on/](https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringPorn/comments/8q0m57/how_a_bore_evacuator_aka_fume_extractor_works_on/) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/19 "2018-06-11T03:41:22Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > As has been noted it is a machine gun. You can see it more clearly in [this picture](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EAggCEn_Ya8/maxresdefault.jpg). If you want to Google more pictures that is the Israeli main battle tank [Merkava](https://www.google.com/search?q=Merkava). That’s got some kind of weird perspective going on; those tanks look HUGE- like 15 feet tall or something, when in reality they’re not quite 9 feet tall. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816/20 "2018-06-11T16:19:42Z")
> [@bump](#): > > That’s got some kind of weird perspective going on; those tanks look HUGE- like 15 feet tall or something, when in reality they’re not quite 9 feet tall. I think they’re slightly upslope. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-these-tanks-on-an-exercise-what-is-covered-by-a-shroud/815816.md?page=2)