One of the three key elements of an armoured fighting vehicle (AFV), be it tracked or wheeled, is armour, with the other two being mobility and firepower. The word armour should now perhaps be replaced by survivability, as this includes additional elements that also help to enhance the survivability of the platform in an increasingly hostile environment. These can include banks of electrically operated grenade launchers, laser detectors and warner's, acoustic gun fire detection systems and hard and soft kill defensive aids systems (DAS). Traditionally the frontal arc of an AFV such as a main battle tank (MBT), infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) or armoured personnel carrier (APC), has been the area that is provided with the best level of protection as this is where the main attack was expected to come from. Today however, the threat can come from anywhere through 360 degrees as well as from above and below. It is impossible to design and field an AFV which will provide the occupants with 100 percent protection against all potential battlefield threats.
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