The future of tanks
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You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
You are currently reading a thread in /k/ - Weapons
Ever since the MBT came about, the old classifications of 'light, medium' and heavy' became no longer needed because the MBT filled all those rolls.
But now, maybe tankettes like the germans have are maybe breaking the monopoly that the MBT has had if other contries adopt this type of light armor.
>>29293268
MBTs did not replace light tanks, though.
>>29293293
I argue they did. Tight tanks may still exist but the MBT can do everything the light tank can do.
But these modern tankettes, they can continue to develop the concept, they can be a huge boon to airborne troops and amphibious troops, if they make that possible.
>>29293268
Infantry with TOWs has replaced the tank
>>29293443
>Tight tanks may still exist but the MBT can do everything the light tank can do.
MBTs can't swim, can't be airdropped, can't be airlifted in great quantities, can't be wheeled, can't carry infantry squads.
>>29293618
>Infantry are immune to small weapons fire.
>>29293268
Superheavy plasma tanks with shielding and energy weapons and stuff, along with crazy powerful fusion or antimatter reactors to power it.
>>29293443
If MBTs could do everything that light tanks did, then we would not use Bradleys for Cavalry vehicles to screen in front of Abrams formations. Light tanks are either still in use as recon for MBTs or are general recon for mechanized forces.
>>29293443
They really can't, though. Look at the current trend of asymmetrical warfare. The most successful vehicles in Afghanistan/Iraq/Mali have been light, wheeled, or both. Everyone knows about the MRAP concept and how many lives it has saved whilst still being mobile enough to be employed in mountainous terrain like that. French wheeled fighting vehicles like the AMX 10 and ERC 90 have consistently proven to be capable of sticking with the infantryman no matter where he goes, and have had truly phenomenal performances as a result. British Royal Marines used a combination of the BvS 10 and the MWMIK in Afghanistan to great effect, being able to move men and material through hazardous terrain whilst having very respectable firepower and stellar crew survivability; the BvS 10 has such low ground pressure that it just straight up doesn't detonate the majority of contact sensitive IEDs and mines.
MBTs have their uses, and always will, but it's pretty clear that the light vehicle is king right now. And unless there's a drastic change in the global threat situation, it'll stay that way.
>>29293784
But the bradley is not a light tank.
>>29293268
>now
its been around for more than 40 years.
and its not exactly "light armor". Doesn't really even protect against rifle rounds all that well.
>>29293701
They CAN swim
and CAN be airdropped(with gliders)
They CAN be mass airlifted, since you will only be fitting 2 light tanks for every MBT in a heavy lift aircraft
they COULD be wheeled and COULD carry infantry, if you truly wanted them to
>>29293814
Yes, but it fills the role the light tank use to, but with a tinier gun and ability to carry a couple dudes in the back.
>>29293835
They can't swim, faggot. They can ford rivers if you're willing to spend an hour fitting flotation screens and snorkels, but are entirely too heavy to swim like amphibious APCs and IFVs that just drive in to the sea and scoot to shore.
And nobody has used gliders since the 50s. Not even Combloc shit holes. Because, hey, guess what, everyone figured out that light vehicles make more sense.
>>29293835
None of the current MBTs can't do that.
>>29293814
It is light tank with fancy name.
>>29293913
No uparmored APC or IFV can "just drive into the sea and swim"
>>29293801
try stopping the Russians in the fulda gap with that wheeled french turd francois!
>>29293923
Who the fuck said anything about armor packages?
>>29293923
>what is BMP-3
>what is Kurganets
>what is Bumerang
>>29293930
The thing is that no third world insurgent or rebel group can muster the same strenght as the soviets.
If the rebels in Mali had soviet battle tanks. Motorised infantry etc and used soviet battle formations, know how to read, is trained and hates capitalism then the french would reconsider their choice of vehicles.
Even more when they cant just bomb them away without losing pilots.
>>29294007
Using motorised army and AFVs against modern airpower is just silly if you can't counter this air power.
>>29294043
>> if you can't counter this air power.
>Even more when they cant just bomb them away without losing pilots.
I was trying to imply that the french modern air power is counter'd to the degree that they will lose pilots if they try to use their air power.
>>29293835
GLIDER TRAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNSSSSSSS
>>29294043
eh
move at night, camoflage during the day, run out thousands of decoys all over the place
have some anti-air assets that you just keep to force the enemy to stay high/away from you
You can manage against modern air power even without planes of your own.
>>29293268
Main battle tanks are the future.
>>29293983
MT LB
PT 76 (LIGHT TANK)
BMP 1
BRDM
BTR series from 70 to 90
they are all APCs / IFVs and they can literally just drive in and swim lol.
Is that a big ass bag of sunflower seeds on top of that tank?
>>29296878
>move at night
This is not WWII grandpa, there are things that are called radars and FLIR making AFVs more visible in the night than during day.
>have some anti-air assets that you just keep to force the enemy to stay high/away from you
>Mali
>userful anti-air assets
>>29293618
Infantry with Machineguns has replaced the Infantry.
>>29293443
It can't cross certain bridges, can't traverse thick jungles, and can't really be air-dropped into the fray the same way a light can. Some lights are also amphibious.
Basically, a light tank is a tank that sacrifices its armor for a gimmick of some sort.
>>29299583
Looks like it.
>>29293268
DUDE, muslim suicide bombers and cars then how come technicals everywhere and you want to tell me that no to replace tankettes?
