Brilliant Anti-Tank was a manned and unpowered glide bomb used during Cold War. It was designed to fire from an Army Tactical Missile System. Its 5.5-inch diameter and tail fins allowed the BAT to strike in weak points on the armored vehicle, thereby maximizing damage to the tank turret. The submunition was later modified to serve as a glide bomb in the United States Air Force's GBU-44/B Viper Strike.
The Brilliant Anti-Tank Submunition was originally designed to attack Soviet tanks. The submunition can track a target with an acoustic receiver and fire one round at it. The submunition is designed to carry high explosive anti-tank warheads (HEAT). It was not suitable for use in urban environments, however. It also failed in its ability to fly at level flight. To combat this problem, the submunition was equipped a tandem shape-charge warhead. Also, the submunition could be equipped with a laser seeker. The system could operate day or night and can operate at a wide range distances.
AGM-114 Hellfire was a precision weapon that was small enough to be used on aerial platforms in the Global War on Terror. However, it was not well suited for many point targets. Its High Explosive-Anti-Tank warhead (HEAT), is optimized for Soviet tanks or infantry formations. The HEAT weaponhead was too powerful for precision targets in urban areas and was not suitable for point targets. The Pentagon ordered a study of the Terminally Guided Anti-Armor Indirect Fire Weapon System, or TAAFIW. Later, it was modified into Brilliant Anti-Tank.
This anti-tank submunition was part of the "Assault Breaker", a project to develop weapons that could target Soviet armored structures that were hidden deep behind frontlines. These weapons were capable of quickly killing large numbers, giving the United States an edge in future conflicts.
Lockheed Martin's Army Tactical Missile System, ATACMS, developed the Brilliant Anti-Tank Submunition. The submunition can engage armored vehicles moving at up to 800 meters and has an effective combat range. For initial target acquisition, the submunition uses passive acoustic wingstip sensors and an imaging infrared sensor. The submunition also has a multimode seeker that can be used to target armored vehicle.
The Army TACMS block IIA is home to the brilliant anti-tank weapon. It is a semi-ballistic, multi-purpose missile that can operate night and day. It can carry up to six P3I-BAT Brilliant Anti-Armor (P3I-BAT) submunitions. Block II ATACMS a deep-attack carrier can operate 24 hours a day, and can operate existing weapons. The block II ATACMS also has an extended range. The block II ATACMS precision engagement weapon uses US missile design expertise.
The Pentagon is developing new weapons and "brilliant", weapons have the potential for killing large numbers, in a flash, of armored trucks. This makes them an important part of any defense plan. 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 may provide an alternative solution to future conflicts such the gulf war. They may also be used to stop future invasions.