Yup. Most modern AT weapons used a shaped charge warhead. The shaped charge uses a bunch of math to blow up a copper cone in such a way that it turns in to a super-heated jet of liquid metal that can cut through almost anything (to a certain depth). But if the charge doesn't blow up just right the copper jet doesn't form correctly and the missile won't penetrate the tank's armor. The ERA (explosive reactive armor) plates you see on tanks explode when a missile hit's them and fucks up the copper.
Some modern AT weapons, like the RPG rounds Hamas has been using, have "tandem warheads". The front of the rocket has a small explosive to detonate the ERA, then the main charge hits a fraction of a second later and has a better chance of cutting through the armor.
Yup. Most modern AT weapons used a shaped charge warhead. The shaped charge uses a bunch of math to blow up a copper cone in such a way that it turns in to a super-heated jet of liquid metal that can cut through almost anything (to a certain depth). But if the charge doesn't blow up just right the copper jet doesn't form correctly and the missile won't penetrate the tank's armor. The ERA (explosive reactive armor) plates you see on tanks explode when a missile hit's them and fucks up the copper.
Some modern AT weapons, like the RPG rounds Hamas has been using, have "tandem warheads". The front of the rocket has a small explosive to detonate the ERA, then the main charge hits a fraction of a second later and has a better chance of cutting through the armor.