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[Bruce_in_Oz]

The production of "secondary missiles" is part of the job of an effective anti-armour round.

The HESH, ("high explosive squash-head") specifically does this.

The principle is simple:

On impact, a generous quantity of VERY fast explosive detonates on the OUTSIDE of an AFV. The shock-wave traveling through the hard armour causes "spalling" or "scabbing" as it exits the armour on the INSIDE of the target vehicle. Large or small, the detached "chunks" rattling at high speed around the fighting compartment cause unpleasant things to happen to the occupants. On the outside, a bit of a dent and some paint burnt off. Inside? Messy!

Back in 1985 I was being guided around the "New Jersey" by its Dental Officer, who also happened to be the safety Officer for the "B" turret"

His description of the effect of a 16" HE round impacting on a ground target was something like: "Imagine something about the weight of a Volkswagen striking the ground at 20 miles and leaving a crater the size of a tennis court."

He also told us why they ALWAYS fire the main armament in BROADSIDE mode; fired fore and aft, the shockwave of the guns' recoil travels through the ship and knocks people off their feet and breaks things. The other story concerned the "loss" of a helicopter during a fire mission in Lebanon.

Urgent, and copious, fire was called for on short order. After the appropriate number of rounds had been delivered, someone remembered that the ship's helicopter had not been flown off the aft deck, just astern of "C" turret.

Its battered remains were hastily swept up and shoveled over the side.

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