well, using a missile which plunges from above to attack and penetrate the tank's thin top. By utilizing electric armour and applying it to the entire vehicle, these risks could be negated. Operational safety A secondary advantage is the increased safety of infantry and light vehicles operating near tanks with electric armour instead of ERA. Although ERA plates are intended only to bulge following detonation, the combined energy of the ERA explosive, coupled with the kinetic or explosive energy of the projectile, will frequently cause explosive fragmentation of the plate. The explosion of an ERA plate creates a significant amount of shrapnel, and those in the vicinity are in grave danger of fatal injury. Disadvantages Due to the novel nature of electric armour and the secrecy of military development, it is unclear whether it is supposed to function against both shaped charge jets and the more recent kinetic energy penetrators or only the former, with sources mostly focusing on shaped charges, especially that of RPGs. Shaped charges such as those in said RPGs or HEAT rounds project a hypersonic jet of molten metal particles to penetrate armour, whereas kinetic APFSDS rounds, the main anti-tank ammunition in use by modern tanks, utilize a solid rod of metal which require more electrical charge to effectively diffuse the attack, possibly beyond current capabilities. Despite being rather economical in terms of energy, electric armour systems are therefore limited in their effectiveness by the ability of the vehicle equipping them to generate sufficient electricity for the system. Examples United Kingdom Electric armour is a development in the United Kingdom by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, named the 'Pulsed Power' System. A vehicle is fitted with two thin shells, separated by insulating material. The outer shell holds an enormous electric charge, while the inner shell is at ground. If an incoming HEAT jet of a conductive metal such as copper penetrates both shells, it forms a bridge between them, and the electrical energy discharges rapidly through the jet, vaporizing it. Trials with an armoured personnel carrier have so far been promising, and it is hoped that improved systems could protect against kinetic energy penetrators. Developers of the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) series of armoured vehicles were considering this technology before its cancellation. United States Scientists at the United States Army Research Laboratory have also published details about electric armour in New Scientist. Each tank