The Best Modern Tanks.

carpenoctem1689 · 11-21-2005, 09:47 PM

Ive heard that too, about the field fitting of reactive armor, which is really very uselful, makes the tank lighter for transport when the reactive armor isnt fitted. I vited for the M1A2. I love that tank, it looks menacing in itself, modern looking too. I like the smoothbore gun, and the kinetic rounds. It has good protection and imaging, can fire on the move. With the 120mm gun it has plenty of firepower and range. Though recently ive heard much about how the battletanks days are very limited due to aircraft missile advancements, and that the armoured car will soon be the only thing left, more for recon and urban patrols. While i dont think this, any time soon to be feasible, what are everyone elses thoughts?

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 11-23-2005, 04:17 PM

You are correct. Some of the Heavy Divisions have allready started converting to the Light Divisions and using vehicles like the Stryker.

Glider · 11-23-2005, 04:33 PM

Whilst that could be the way I have doubts. Reactive armour doesn't help much against kinetic shells. Using a lighter Stryker type vehicle makes you more vulnerable to the tank and its large cannon.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 11-23-2005, 04:57 PM

Also agreed.

marconi · 12-02-2005, 05:41 PM

What do you think of this monster?

the lancaster kicks ass · 12-03-2005, 02:10 AM

what the hell is it??

and tanks are starting to loose their position as the most dangerous thing on the battlefeild to aircraft, and whilst i think they will keep many tanks for cirtain roles, but the lighter recon vehicles like the Scimitar will play an ever more important role, yes they're not as well armoured but remember they're deep penitration recon vehicles, they're not supposed to be spotted in the first place, and if they are their first tactic is to drive outta there, fast! they're not designed to go up against a heavy tank...........

trackend · 12-03-2005, 09:34 AM

You may well be right there Lanc.
I think mobility is important in the modern theater but heavy Armour is becoming obsolete as man pack and helicopter weapons have become more capable of eliminating it. The lack of vision is starting to out weigh the protection afforded. The Helicopter , Satellite and Drones are beginning to take over the roles of recon and support and I think the day of the pilot less or self-guiding delivery system is not far off. The drone that can attack various targets with intelligent weapons is already on test. Using a copper disk that can be deformed into different shapes depending on the intended target from shrapnel for soft/personnel targets to hypersonic projectile to penetrate heavy Armour vertically.
It may not come to fruition for some time but a more remote initial contact with the ground troops advancing behind this screen of technology I think is not that far away.

P38 Pilot · 12-03-2005, 11:07 AM

Thats pretty cool looking! I wouldnt mind driving that around!

cheddar cheese · 12-03-2005, 02:35 PM

I think they probably lost their position as most dangerous thing on the battlefield to aircraft a long time ago in my opinion...

Gnomey · 12-03-2005, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheddar cheese

I think they probably lost their position as most dangerous thing on the battlefield to aircraft a long time ago in my opinion...

Agreed CC, nowdays aircraft dominant the battlefield. It is a case of he who has aircraft will generally win.

Glider · 12-03-2005, 04:42 PM

The main problem with drones, helicopters and planes is that they cannot take or hold ground. At the end of the day the PBI have to go in and they need support of armoured veihicles.
I think that what everyone has said makes a lot of sense but a balance has to be found and I don't think that we are there yet.
One example is the tendency to reduce the number of infantry and increase their firepower. However when you get into a house to house situation those extra numbers count. Twenty men with AK47's have at least as good a chance as a western eight man squad with the latest equipment.
With Armour its the same. The tank on the ground can help the men on the ground take that ground. I doubt that tanks will get any bigger but the age old search for the balance between protection, firepower and agility will continue.

plan_D · 12-03-2005, 05:21 PM

Against modern ground equipment the fast, but lightly armoured, vehicles are easy meat for the tank. British exercises show it time and time again. I saw one recently on TV in Canada where they had two opposing British armoured brigades, one sent it's lightly armoured vehicles in a charge and the Challenger 2s of the other team just blasted them with little problem to themselves...but they weren't really Challenger 2s in the simulation - the HQ had brought them down to the power of T-72s!