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Tanks

Tanks are tracked armored vehicles that have a rotating turret mounting a heavy weapon firing on a flat trajectory (firing with line of sight to the target). They are a specific combination of tracks, armor, turret, and weapon; without any one of these four components, the vehicle is no longer a tank. A non-track armored vehicle carrying heavy weaponry firing flat trajectory is a mobile gun system (MGS). An armoured personnel carrier has no major caliber weapon, and a tank destroyer hunter has little or no armor. If the weapon system is firing on a high trajectory (firing without seeing the target) rather than a flat trajectory, the vehicle would be a self-propelled howitzer rather than a tank.

Vehicles weighing from 20 to 25 tons can be called light tanks, while those weighing 30 tons to 50 tons can be called medium tanks, and over 50 tons are heavy tanks. The main reason for using lighter weapons on light tanks is that the high recoil forces associated with powerful tank guns need to be supported by a powerful, and hence heavier, chassis. Medium tanks are no match for MBTs in face to face combat. MBTs are designed for battle against equivalent vehicles, and have their main armor on the front, while some medium tanks have an equal level of protection around the entire vehicle. Medium tanks are mostly used in defensive roles, rather than for direct attacks like MBTs. Light or mechanised infantry, as the more likely enemy, may approach from any direction.

In a number of countries tanks are classified according to the old principle, and are subdivided into light, medium, and heavy (based on weight). Adopting a tank classification according to missions, one can make a comparison only within a single group, designated for performing specific missions. Thus a large number of vehicles are excluded from comparison. Even under this condition, however, it is difficult to compare vehicles without an idea of the tactical concepts of a given country or several countries. The well known French AMX-13 tank was designed as a tank destroyer and was considered such in France. Other countries which have purchased this tank, however, use it as a reconnaissance tank (the Netherlands and Switzerland) or as a police vehicle (Venezuela).

Subparagraph (C) of paragraph 1 of Article II of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) provides, in two paragraphs, a three-part, hierarchical definition of the term "battle tank." First, a general definition is provided in the first paragraph of subparagraph (C), in which a "battle tank" is defined as a self- propelled armored fighting vehicle, capable of heavy firepower, primarily of a high muzzle velocity direct fire main gun necessary to engage armored and other targets, with high cross-country mobility, with a high level of self-protection, and which is not designed and equipped primarily to transport combat troops. This part of the definition adds that such armored vehicles serve as the principal weapon system of ground-force tank and other armored formations.

Second, specific characteristics of battle tanks are described in terms of certain technical parameters. The first sentence of the second paragraph of subparagraph (C) provides that battle tanks are tracked armored fighting vehicles which weigh at least 16.5 metric tons unladen weight and which are armed with a 360-degree traverse gun of at least 75 millimeters caliber.

Third, a special provision is provided for wheeled battle tanks that might be developed in the future. The second sentence of the second paragraph of subparagraph (C) notes that any wheeled armored fighting vehicles entering into service which meet all the criteria stated in the first two parts of the definition shall also be deemed battle tanks.

The definition of "battle tank" is structured in order to make clear that the general definition provided in the first paragraph takes precedence over the second and third parts of the definition set forth in the second paragraph. Thus, if a State Party were to field a new armored fighting vehicle designed to accomplish the mission described in the general criteria for battle tanks set forth in the first paragraph of the definition, but did not meet the specific criteria for current battle tanks set forth in the second paragraph of the definition (e.g., an armored combat vehicle with a smaller - less than 75 millimeters in caliber - but more capable main armament), such a vehicle might very well be deemed a battle tank. In such a case, the Joint Consultative Group could address the issue, and, if a consensus were reached to do so, change the specific criteria to capture such armored fighting vehicles as battle tanks.

The second part of the battle tank definition was specifically developed in order to provide technical parameters for the negotiators to use to determine which current armored fighting vehicles would be deemed battle tanks for purposes of paragraph 1 of Section I of the Protocol on Existing Types. As such, the list of existing types of battle tanks is keyed directly to the battle tank definition. Paragraph 2 of Article II emphasizes this point. Thus, all types of battle tanks listed in paragraph 1 of Section I of the Protocol on Existing Types, as of November 19, 1990, meet the technical criteria set forth in the second part of the definition.

The third part of the battle tank definition, which deals with wheeled tanks, was included because of agreement that a specific wheeled armored fighting vehicle under development, the Italian Centauro, would be deemed a battle tank when it entered into service with Italian conventional armed forces.

Vehicles used for combat assault are divided into two categories: main battle tanks and light tanks/assault vehicles. Tanks are tracked, heavily armored vehicles with guns of generally 75 mm or more. Among modern trends in AFVs are: increased variety of systems worldwide, and a wider application of these systems for varied roles and missions on the battlefield. As a result, technology sharing and proliferation of upgrade packages have blurred lines among vehicles used for assault, antiarmor, combat reconnaissance and fire support missions. Another trend is increased weight for all types of armored vehicles. With heavier armor protection packages, higher-output engines and larger weapons, a significant proportion of medium tanks have grown into the heavy tank weight category. Therefore, the term main battle tank is more relevant than previous weight categories.

Typical features included the number of road wheels, the spacing between road wheels, the location and ntmber of hatches, the presence or absence of items such as cupolas, idler wheels, skirts, and searchlights, and the presence/ absence and location of bore evacuators.

In recent years, a curious trend emerged in the field of armored vehicles. Modern main battle tanks with high performance have a corresponding price. They find themselves outside the capabilities of poor countries, which, nevertheless, need new combat vehicles. The way out of this situation are new tanks with less high performance. In different countries, medium-sized armored vehicles are being developed, differing in their characteristic appearance. They are inferior to the MBT in protection and armament, but at the same time they have significant advantages over the outdated armored vehicles, usually in service with a potential enemy. This "medium tank" shows limited characteristics, but it has an acceptable cost.

There are still light tanks on the battlefield, although increased armor and gun size on light armored fighting vehicles such as infantry fighting vehicles and armored reconnaissance vehicles have blurred lines of distinction. A number of AFVs, such as the British Scorpion and French AMX-13 can be characterized as reconnaissance vehicles, tank destroyers, fire support vehicles, or assault vehicles; but they have tracks, armor protection, and guns of 60 mm or greater. Thus, they can also be used for light tank missions. The term assault vehicle currently represents a narrow category of older vehicles used by (former) Soviet forces - medium-armored vehicles with medium-heavy guns and no turrets. None of these vehicles were selected for this initial publication. Some representative systems will be included in the next iteration. With blurring of lines among roles and missions for heavier LAFVs and light tanks, the term assault vehicle will likely broaden to reflect a variety of modern programs for light - medium armored vehicles with medium to heavy guns, for use in the assault role.

Two notable trends for these vehicles are a reflection of increasing systems costs and declines or leveling of military budgets - development of variants off of established systems, and use of equipment/packages to extend the use life of systems and enhance their effectiveness. As a result, seemingly old and out-of-date tanks, some of which pre-date World War II, can be a threat to modern armored and mechanized forces. Systems-related trends can be divided among mobility, survivability, and lethality. To improve mobility and compensate for weight increases, many forces have replaced older engines with more powerful diesel engines. Swim capability is limited to a few light tanks.

Within the area of survivability, the most obvious consideration is increasing armor protection levels. A prominent trend is the application of additional armor, such as plate armor or panels on turrets, side-skirts over tracks, and addition of explosive reactive armor (ERA). Additional protection measures include use of entrenching blades for self-emplacement, mineclearing plows and rollers, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection, vehicle smoke emission systems, and smoke grenade launchers. To complement these systems are sensors such as mine detectors, laser warning receivers, and radar warning receivers. A trend receiving increasing attention is the use of active measures: electro-optical countermeasures, such as infrared jammers, and active protection systems (also known as defensive aides suites) designed to intercept incoming projectiles and destroy them prior to impact.

The area of lethality has seen a variety of upgrades, including: gun replacement, improved stabilization and fire control systems, additional weapons such as antitank guided missile systems, and improved ammunition. Critical parameters include fire on the move capability, which can be linked to stabilization, rate of fire, integrated sights, acquisition ranges, and weapon range.

Nicholas Drummond / @nicholadrummond wrote 23 November 2023:>

A question on a lot of people's minds is what does the conflict in Ukraine tell us about the future of the Main Battle Tank? Based on what we've seen, a few observations can be made:

1. Tank-on-tank combat is a rarity rather than the norm.
2. Tanks are mostly being defeated with missiles not tungsten penetrators.
3. In many instances, tanks are being used as assault guns to support infantry in the attack, which is why older types such as Leopard 1 have proved so useful.
4. Although 120 mm tank guns have highly effective APFSDS rounds, new 105 mm natures are still equally lethal and you can carry more, while programmable 105 mm HE is perfect for direct fire tasks.
5. Survivability is less dependent on passive armour and more reliant on active protection systems that can defeat ATGM and aerial threats, especially drones.
6. The best means of survivability is exiting an area quickly and hiding - a basic tactic we seem to have forgotten.
7. Operational mobility has become increasingly important - especially within an expeditionary context - so the ability to redeploy a force rapidly from one area to another can be decisive.

The above factors tend to favour lighter, more agile wheeled vehicles, which partly explain why Japan and Italy are so invested in 8x8 assault guns. The Type-16 MCV and Centauro deliver considerable firepower for much less than the cost of an MBT. Being wheeled they can respond quickly. As well as providing fire support, they are also ideal for reconnaissance and tank destroyer roles. As NATO armies look beyond current MBT types, future versions of M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and Challenger 3 will still have a place, but I fully expect wheeled assault guns to play a much more prominent role. I am convinced that this is the next evolutionary step.