Pike nose

Swedish EMIL heavy tank mockup, clearly depicting the pike nose profile.
Collar insignia of the Russian Tank Troops, depicting a pike nosed tank (akin to the IS-3 and T-10).

A pike nose (from Russian: щучий нос) is a configuration of vehicle armour in which an armoured vehicle's frontal armour consists of three angular plates put together to form a cone-like shape, similar to the nose of a pike, from which the name stems.[1][2] Often welded, it can also be cast.[2] The design allows for very effective frontal angling of the armour plates, increasing protection from the front.[1][2]

The pike nose have appeared on armoured vehicles since World War I, but the design first gained popularity following World War II, with heavy tank designs such as the Soviet IS-3.[2] Following the obsolescence of heavy tanks, however, the design have become rare in modern times, only rarely appearing on light vehicles and the like.[2]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference TE IS3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference tankarchives was invoked but never defined (see the help page).