Is tank warfare dead?
As technology advances and unmanned options increase, is there a place for tank warfare in the future?
by RallyPoint
January 17, 2017
U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer/Flickr
By Capt. Nathan Wike
RallyPoint
First, what is tank warfare?—?is it war with tanks, war against tanks, or both; or are tanks ancillary (gasp) to the infantry? Second, does tank warfare have a place on the modern battlefield given all the technological advances and increased lethality of various weapons and platforms. What does this assertion imply about warfare, that is, the type of war where tanks would be used? Finally, does this assertion imply that tanks be divested from the inventory and armored doctrine be removed from the military’s training and education curriculum, and if so does that go for the tank-like vehicles (e.g. the Bradley)? For any conclusions about the continued vitality of tank warfare to be reached, these, and other questions must first be answered.
It is interesting that when browsing Army doctrine on tanks, or rather armored vehicles, one will not find an “Armored Operations” field manual (akin to FM 3–99; Airborne and Air Assault Operations). Instead the publications relating to tank, or rather armored, warfare use titles containing words such as “Combined Arms” or “Team”. This in itself is an important distinction, for it implies that success in armored warfare relies on all elements of combat power working in concert, not an exclusive focus on a single capability. This leaning towards teamwork is codified within doctrine, as it cites the importance of precision fires and close air support, and the interoperability with other branches of the military and U.S. allies. Furthermore the doctrine governing armored warfare implies tremendous flexibility with reference to the mission and purpose of armored vehicles, as opposed to boxing them into a niche capability (e.g. tanks only fight other tanks). In layman’s terms, their firepower, mobility, and protection, allow armored formations to attack, defend, counter-attack, screen, exploit a breakthrough, secure a route or a fixed site, support the infantry, etc. Naturally they also excel at closing with the enemy, and are the preferred method for closing with enemy armor.
https://www.military1.com/military-weapons/article/1692700014-is-tank-warfare-dead/
