KE rounds can get higher velocities out of smoothbore guns.Find a way to get HEAT protection rapidly out pacing HEAT penetration, and its more likely that NATO focuses on KE rounds, and so the rifled 120 makes sense to standardize.
UK APFSDS used the two piece loading as an advantage, as the penetrator could be longer than with fixed ammoNATO now focuses more on using HESH instead of multipurpose HEAT rounds. NATO might switch to a variant firing ammunition that isn't two piece to speed up loading rates and ROF
That is interesting. I was under the apparently mistaken impression that fixed ammo for tank guns typically allowed for longer penetrators as the penetrator could extend into the cartridge case. Do you know off hand how long the "longer" UK penetrators were ?UK APFSDS used the two piece loading as an advantage, as the penetrator could be longer than with fixed ammo
NATO might switch to a variant firing ammunition that isn't two piece to speed up loading rates and ROF.
The two piece ammo also allowed lap loading which in theory allows faster initial rates of fire as well.
What's lap loading?
The British gun ammo is 2 piece (actual 3 if you include the primer but thats in a clip already inserted into the gun)
So once the gun is loaded the loader (who is the 2IC of the tank) can keep the Projectile in his 'lap' and when it comes to reloading the gun can very rapidly reload the weapon as only the propellent charges are sealed away and as such are easier to handle than a single piece ammunition.
Tried to find a video of the process but my google fu is weak
NATO now focuses more on using HESH instead of multipurpose HEAT rounds. NATO might switch to a variant firing ammunition that isn't two piece to speed up loading rates and ROF. I could see the RH 120 being introduced later if there is a shift to wanting single pieced ammo, and less reliance on HESH as a substitute for HEAT.
Find a way to get HEAT protection rapidly out pacing HEAT penetration, and its more likely that NATO focuses on KE rounds, and so the rifled 120 makes sense to standardize.
The two piece ammo also allowed lap loading which in theory allows faster initial rates of fire as well.
Can be dangerous, though.Carrying the next round on your lap while the previous one is already loaded. You can do that with two part ammo because the first part is inert.
Only if you're holding the bagged charge. Proper lap loading involves holding only the inert apfsds portion of the ammunition.