Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT), a manned, unpowered, glide bomb developed during the Cold War was intended to be fired from an Army Tactical Missile System. BAT was a 5.5-inch in diameter with tail fins. It struck at weak points on armored vehicles to maximize damage to the tank's turret. The submunition was modified for use in the United States Air Force as the GBU-44/B Viper Strike glide bomb.
Originally developed as a payload for an MGM-137B TSSAM missile, the Brilliant Anti-Tank submunition was designed to engage Soviet tanks. The submunition used a new acoustic sensor to locate a target and fire one shot at it. This submunition was engineered to carry a high explosive, anti-tank (HEAT), warhead. It was however too big to be effective against urban point targets. It also failed to successfully transfer to level flying. To combat this problem, the submunition was equipped a tandem shape-charge warhead. The submunition also had a laser searcher. The system could operate night or day, and from a large range of distances.
The AGM-114 Hellfire precision munition was used in the Global War on Terror. It wasn't well suited to many point targets. Its High Explosive-Anti-Tank warhead (HEAT), is optimized for Soviet tanks or infantry formations. 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.
Anti-tank submunition was created as part of "Assault Breaker," a project that sought to develop weapons that could target Soviet armoured formations that were hidden behind front lines. These weapons were capable of quickly killing large numbers, giving the United States an edge in future conflicts.
Lockheed Martin, as part the Army Tactical Missile System ATACMS (ATACMS), developed the BrilliantAnti-Tank submunition. The submunition can engage armored vehicles moving at up to 800 meters and has an effective combat range. The submunition uses an imaging infrared sensor for terminal guidance, as well as passive acoustic wingtip sensors for initial target acquisition. To target armored vehicles, the submunition can also use a multi-mode seeker.
The Army TACMS B Block IIA has the brilliant antitank submunition. It can operate all day and night. It can launch up to six P3I Brilliant Anti-Armor submunitions. The Block II ATACMS is a deep attack carrier that can operate day and night, and it can operate existing weapons. Also, the block II ATACMS has a longer range. The block II ATACMS precision engagement weapon uses US missile design expertise.
"Brilliant" weapons are being developed by the Pentagon and have the potential of killing large numbers of armored cars in a matter seconds. They are a crucial 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 be used to prevent future invasions.