Influence of the projectile nose shapen on the possibility of obtaining interface defeate in ceramic armour

A model for determining the influence of the projectile nose shape on the possibility of obtaining interface defeat in ceramic armours has been suggested. Interface defeat means that the projectile material is forced to flow radially outwards on the surface of the ceramic material without penetrating significantly. The model indicates that the nose shape of the projectile strongly influences the protection capability of this type of armour. Despite the short duration of the interaction, this could significantly lower the protection capability if the projectile is allowed to hit the ceramic layer directly. Therefore, to get the best protection capability out of the ceramic armour, the projectile nose should be eroded before interface defeat is established. In small arms applications, the projectile velocity is usually lower than the critical velocity even for projectiles with sharp nose designs. In this cases the ceramic tile can be mounted as an outside armour component.