How does a HESH anti-tank round work? (High Explosive Squash Head)

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The HESH anti-tank round is primarily used by the British Army, although some other nations have used the round for demolition.

A HESH round consists of an inert nose cone, a plastic explosive core and a detonator. When the round is fired, it "pancakes" against the side of the enemy tank.

The plastic explosives are detonated and the resulting shockwave causes "scabbing" inside the tank as pieces of the tank fly off and impale crewmen. This allows a HESH round to destroy a tank without ever physically penetrating the vehicle.

But why is the HESH round primarily a British weapon?

The Challenger tank uses a rifled barrel, which impedes APFDS kinetic penetrators from reaching maximum velocity, but it also has a two-part ammunition storage system. The warheads are stored separately from the propellent for safety.

This makes the bags too small to make APFDS rounds effective at maximum range. So the HESH round is an excellent choice for the British Army due to their chosen type of vehicle and gun.

References:
British Armor in Desert Storm
Lieutenant Colonel David Eshel
Armor Magazine, July/August 1992