Has the Main Battle Tank a future?

[43rdRecceReg]

Given the effectiveness of anti-tank counter measures, despite Chobham etc., it has been suggested that Tanks have little future on the battlefield, and that they're heading for obsolescence like the Battleship. Here's an interesting article on the MBT's future prospects from 2013. It's entitled 'Obituary for the Main battle Tank'. I wonder, though, if the Tank is doomed to a trip to the scrapyard (or a rich collector's backyard ) will AFVs and Troop carriers go the same way?
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2013/04/o ... ttle-tank/ Apparently there are in excess of 100,000 tanks in the worldwide inventory, but many of those are already (potentially) easy prey for anti-tank weapons.. like this one in the Ukraine...

Battered behemoth in the Ukraine

[wibblywobbly]

The Armata is planned to be crewless, and for each tank to have a dedicated drone. The drone flies off and finds the target, links to the tank, and that then either fires or travels. Same can be done with artillery. It's just auto loaders and GPS.

The obsolescence prophecy has been around for a while. The way forward will be cheap, disposable drones, linked to missiles. Why have a heavy tank that has to travel slowly, and risk being blown up, when a missile can get there in seconds with pinpoint accuracy? One multi warhead missile could destroy many tanks.

I think its why the UK has pretty much abandoned tank production. They are going down the path of light, fast, tanks that are more reconnaissance than anything else. Bear in mind that for all the tech that we are shown, it is 20 years old. We would never be aware of what either side has until doomsday. The Russians 'appear' to be in the lead, with EMP tech that simply disables all systems on a battleship, aircraft, aircraft carrier, ground radar etc. The only way around that is fibre optic cabling, which it is rumoured to be being retro fitted to US ships.

The Chinese have astounding missile tech, unstoppable. and can sink an aircraft carrier.

For all of that no one has yet defeated a bunch of guys with Toyota Hilux's and 50 cal machine guns!

[RobW]

Maybe they'll bring back the fluidic computer?

[Raminator]

Given the rapid development, improvement and proliferation of man-portable ATGMs, I'm a little surprised that the tank has survived as long as it has. I guess since most warfare these days is asymmetrical, the tank is able to maintain its role as a force multiplier. In a symmetric war though, the combination of air superiority (ground-attack fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters both), and ground-based ATGMs (carried both by infantry and IFVs) would limit the MBT to a place in a combined arms operation.

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning,
I think tanks will sort of go along as force multipliers until the breakthrough, on the horizon, of A.I. Then, I foresee the advent of B.O.L.O.S Huge, autonomic tanks with a frightening array of advanced weaponry capable of continent wide operations. As humanity takes to the stars, such weapons systems will be crucial to the races survival against other space faring races. Many, with no warmth or care for the survival of mankind. An overwhelming weapons system like a B.O.L.O will be a must.
regards,
Painless

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning,
My good man! I haven't watched television in decades! Any shows I have an interest in are on Netflix. ;o) The B.O.L.O. concept belongs to David Drake, a favorite author of mine for many years as well. If I could claim any sentient machine as a friend, it would be one of his Continental Siege Engines from the Dinochrome Brigade. ;o)
regards,
Painless

[43rdRecceReg]

Some interesting thoughts and observations, gents. ..and congrats to Painless on his recent promotion to Major! (A major contributor here..). When a cyber attack can bring the modern tech controlled World grinding to a halt, and EMP tech can take out all fly-by-wire, or drive-by-wire based vehicles- it's almost possible to wage war from the comfort of your own sofa . The Russians were rumoured to use old world valve type electronics in the MiG 29- not because they're decades behind, but because EMP tech (and also solar flares..) can reduce the F35 (from a 1.5 trillion $ programme ) to the role of a gate guardian; but not the MiG....with its ancient tech. Interestingly, Tanks with old style carbs/ contact breakers/ and mechanical timing would still work when electronic threats and EMP have disabled their sophisticated ECU/Computer managed descendants. In instances such as these, they'd have to empty the museums of their Tigers, Cromwells and Shermans
if they needed armoured support
I'd never heard of David Drake, Painless, but maybe I'll look into sic-fi militaria as it's one genre I've never touched on. Drones, and remotely operated vehicles, do seem to offer a future where warfare involves destroying someone else's infrastructure and military capacity- without necessarily killing anyone. A future where pilots, and commanders, sit in comfortable lounges with a screen, joystick, (maybe even popcorn ) to conduct incursions, offshore bombardments, and remove competitors. In fact, 'World of Warcraft' will eventually be the means by which real shooting wars are conducted....