Tandem-charge

A tandem shaped charge is used as the warhead smaller missiles to attack armored vehicles with reactive armor. In contrast to the normal hollow charge, the hollow charge has tandem behind the other two hollow charges. The front, lower shaped charge brings the reactive armor explosion prematurely and thus prevents the effect of the second, larger shaped charge is effectively weakened. Tandem hollow charges are able to penetrate up to 1300 mm of armored steel (HOT 3).

The German Panzerfaust 3 T as well as the Russian RPG -29 operate on the tandem shaped charge principle.