The French Defense Innovation Forum once again served as the pinnacle congregation for the defense industry’s leading minds. This year, the spotlight gleamed upon the revolutionary Top Attack Projectile (TAP), one of the Ministry of the Armed Forces’ flagship projects, captivating engineers, industrial project managers, and investors alike. The landscape of battle tank armor has undergone significant evolution over recent decades, largely propelled by the widespread adoption of reactive armor, a potent defense mechanism releasing energy upon projectile impact.
Dr. Guillaume Strub, a figure in guidance research and head of the TAP initiative at the Franco-German Saint-Louis Research Institute (ISL), elucidates the persisting vulnerabilities, notably at the turret level, despite these advancements. Dr. Strub’s team has honed ultra-precise guidance algorithms to grant the ammunition a decisive advantage—an impeccably vertical terminal trajectory, enabling attacks on tanks from diverse angles, specifically through the turret roof. This strategic shift aims to reduce reliance on satellite systems, countering vulnerabilities such as jamming and electronic warfare interference.
“The first simulations and test campaigns show it is possible to hit targets with submetric precision, less than 40 centimeters from the planned point of impact. The objective in the future is to do without it, by embedding a camera and tracking algorithms directly on the guided munition,” says Dr Emmanuel Roussel, lead researcher in automatic control at the ISL.,” explains Rémy Sautot, remote pilot and mechatronics manager of the ISL platform. Currently, this is made possible thanks to GNSS satellite location (geolocation and navigation by a satellite system).
The essence of the TAP lies in its ingenious anti-tank ammunition guidance system, endowed with adaptive dynamic attack trajectories through algorithmic prowess, meticulously targeting the vulnerabilities inherent in modern armor. The algorithm’s versatility allows seamless integration across various weapons platforms, spanning drones, anti-tank missiles, guided projectiles, and more. Collaborations with European firms and the French and German militaries are underway to tailor this technology to multifaceted engagement scenarios. Insights garnered from these collaborations will fuel ongoing enhancements. Future iterations of the project are already in the pipeline, exploring features like target detection and tracking utilizing infrared cameras, as well as applications within swarming tactics.
