HEAT was also used in the handheld Bazooka, PIAT, Panzerschrek, and Panzerfaust. By the middle of that year, Germany had also adapted the KwK 37 gun of the Panzer IV and the Stug III to fire HEAT. This was launched from a “Cup” launcher on the end of a rifle and was introduced in 1940. The first HEAT weapon may be considered to be the British No 68 Rifle Grenade /AT. High Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT) (sometimes referred to as Hollow Charge or Shaped Charge) rounds evolved from the Swiss inventor Mohaupt who was able to demonstrate using a shaped explosive charge to increase penetration. Chemical or explosive rounds use the power of an explosive to defeat the target armour. Kinetic rounds use sheer power and speed to punch through armour. Anti Infantry (Canister, HE) and anti bunker/material (HE, MPATs, ARM) are not covered in this article.)ĭuring and after the Cold War, anti-tank ammunition fell into two broad categories: Kinetic and Chemical. This article focuses only on Anti Tank ammuntion.

(Note: There are a large number of different types of tank ammunition.

Tank shell explosion force