Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT), a manned unpowered glide-bomb that could be fired from an Army Tactical Missile System, was used during the Cold War. BAT's 5.5 inch diameter and tail fins enabled it to strike at weak spots on the armored vehicles, maximising damage to their tank turrets. The submunition was later modified to serve as a glide bomb in the United States Air Force's GBU-44/B Viper Strike.
Brilliant Anti-Tank (or Brilliant Anti-Tank) was originally created to fight Soviet tanks. It was equipped with a new acoustic sensor that could track and fire a single shot at a vehicle. The submunition was built to carry an HEAT warhead (high explosive anti-tank) and was optimized for Soviet tanks. It was too powerful for urban targets. It also failed in its ability to fly at level flight. To combat this problem, the submunition was equipped a tandem shape-charge warhead. A laser seeker could also be carried by the submunition. The system could operate night or day, and from a large range of distances.
AGM-114 Hellfire, a small precision munition that was made available to air platforms during the Global War on Terror, was the most important. It was not well suited for a wide range of point targets. The warhead's High Explosive anti-Tank (HEAT), was made for Soviet tanks, infantry formations and other military vehicles. The HEAT warhead wasn't enough for point targets and it was too strong for precision targets within urban environments. The Pentagon ordered an investigation into the Terminally Guided Anti-Armor Indirect Fire Weapon System. It was later adapted into the Brilliant Anti-Tank submunition.
The brilliant anti-tank submunition was a part of the "Assault Breaker" project, which was an initiative to develop weapons that could target Soviet armored formations that were buried deep behind front lines. These weapons could be used to rapidly kill large numbers armored vehicles giving the United States an advantage during future conflicts.
Lockheed Martin's Army Tactical Missile System, ATACMS, developed the Brilliant Anti-Tank Submunition. The submunition can be used to combat moving armored vehicle and has a combat range that exceeds 800 meters. For initial target acquisition, the submunition uses passive acoustic wingstip sensors and an imaging infrared sensor. The submunition is also designed to use a multi-mode seeker to target armored vehicles.
The Army TACMS B Block IIA has the brilliant antitank submunition. It can operate all day and night. It can carry up to six P3I-BAT Brilliant Anti-Armor (P3I-BAT) submunitions. The Block II ATACMS can operate both day and night and can also operate existing weapons. The block II ATACMS also has an extended range. The block II ATACMS is a precision engagement weapon that uses US missile development expertise.
As the Pentagon continues to develop new weapons, "brilliant" weapons have the potential to kill large numbers of armored vehicles in an instant, making them a vital part of any defense strategy. The new weapons are highly mobile, making them easy to deploy. This allows for early-arriving units to quickly eliminate armored vehicle, giving them an edge on the battlefield. These "brilliant weapons" could provide a solution for future conflicts such as the gulfwar. They could also aid in the defeat of future invasions.