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| Abandoned Iraqi T-72 lies along a road leading to Al Iskandariyah, Iraq, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. |
One lesson that came out of those later conflicts is that the battlefield, though it has always been deadly, is even deadlier in these modern times. Infantry units can carry missiles which are more than capable of destroying a tank, and you don't even need to get close!
Every nation which can afford an army can afford anti-tank missiles. They give infantry, light vehicles, and helicopters the ability to destroy a tank. Something which usually took another tank to do in older conflicts.
This one's for juvat -
And another, a missile he's very familiar with, as am I (though the earlier TV guided version).
I know this is a very video heavy post, there's just too many good videos out there which explain this stuff better than I can. Besides, who doesn't like videos? Easier than reading, neh?
I'll wrap up with yes, another video, somebody's top ten list of modern tanks. I disagree with what they consider the top two. Sorry, I'm a big fan of the Abrams and frankly the much touted Russian T-14 Armata is unproven in combat. One tank that I have been very impressed with is the South Korean Black Panther, it's in the video.
One last note before the video. Apparently the German Leopard 2 has an abysmal record in the Middle East as used by the Turkish Army. From what I've read, the Turks weren't using them properly. I'll let you read about that here. Interestingly enough, that article mentions the less than sterling record of the Abrams in Saudi Arabian hands in Yemen.
Tanks, like aircraft, are only as good as the crews who man them and the doctrine which guides them.
My takeaway from the last video is that tankers seem to be very impressed that they can spin the main body of the tank around while the main gun remains steady on a target.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
To be fair, those videos are from demos, the spin around thing is to show off the gyro-stabilized gun system. It's even more impressive when they're running down a corrugated road with the turret swayed out and the gun on target.
DeleteWell then, to channel Emely Latella: " Never mind ".
DeletePaul
They do seem enamored of that maneuver.
DeleteI wonder how Israel is adapting to the changing threats against tanks.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think the Merkava is one adaptation. It's very low, they use reactive armor and they also use the Trophy system. It can detect incoming missiles and will fire at the missile to destroy it. Trophy can also detect the location of the shooters and pass that information to other units. It's been used by the Israelis and is very effective, though pricey, something like $300K to install on a Merkava.
DeleteThat is a lot cheaper than a new Merkava. Being able to eliminate the shooters has it's appeal as well. Let's buy some!
DeleteVery true. They can carry infantry as well!
DeleteThe next-gen upgrade of the M1 series will include both additional hard armor, some reactive armor and the Trophy system. So for once the procurement system listened to theBADGER.
Delete'Bout time.
DeleteYAY!
Delete:)
DeleteAre you sure that second video is of TOW? The missile is exploding well above the target (with jaw-dropping results) but I thought TOW was an impact-fused warhead? The other thing that amazes me is the explosive power of such a comparatively small package. How do they provide sufficient propellant to achieve the given range and speed yet still have enough warhead volume for that size explosion. It amazes me.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the TOW - from https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/tube-launched-optically-tracked-wireless-guided-tow-missiles/:
DeleteThe TOW 2B Aero is the most modern and capable missile in the TOW family, with an extended maximum range to 4,500 meters. The TOW 2B Aero defeats all threat armor systems. The TOW 2B Aero Gen2 also incorporates an advanced counteractive protection system capability. The TOW 2B flies over the target, detects the target and fires two downward-directed, explosively formed penetrator warheads into the target.
Unk - Tom answers it well.
DeleteTom - That is one bada$$ missile!
DeleteWow, I remember reading about overhead dispersing self-forging penetrators back in the 90's in Popular Mechanics, finally caught up. Now to load a bunch of those bad boys in a loitering "survivable" delivery system.
DeleteAmazing technology.
DeleteI read about them in Ian Hogg's Killing Tanks. He seemed impressed.
DeleteSeeing them in action is downright scary. Especially if you're a tanker!
DeletePoland bought license to produce Israeli Spike ATGM.
ReplyDeleteIt has dual mode of guidance, fire and forget IR homing or alternatively, man-in-the loop imaging IR via fiberpotics wire highly resistant against jamming. Which one you use depends on user, his tactical situation and battlefield conditions. Warhead is tandem designed to defeat ERA so common on Russian tanks. One of best things on the market in the class.
The Israelis can't afford to be theoretical, the threat for them is real and isn't very far away.
DeleteA very nice missile system.
OK, Sarge - I see why you put the Maverick video in the post - Phantoms!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteBut of course.
Delete;)
Well, to be blunt, though the TOW is theoretically man-portable, in reality it isn't, and is mounted on a number of vehicles as a primary or secondary system. Which gets back to the big bad thing with a BFG (big freakin gun) that can fire many times a minute shooting at a less armored target trying not to get shot so it can shoot it's fire and be guided missile, which has to be guided by a person, at the big bad thing with a BFG (a tank.) And... there is a minimum arming range, so the operator can't just shoot the tank that's 50' in front of him, oh, no, to get the tank that's close he has to guide the missile away and then bring it back (I've seen the video, impressive, can't find it now) all under the firing range of the TANK with BFG. Whose crew can potentially see the launch and flight of said missile, or better yet, the surrounding tanks and infantry can see the launch and flight of said missile and missile crew goes 'Bye-Bye.'
ReplyDeleteMavericks and Hellfires require an aerial platform, either directly piloted or remotely piloted, which in any ways is big and expensive and not something the infantryman wants or can carry around.
Though we (the USA) do have the Javelin, a fire-and-forget boost missile (it pops out of it's launcher under low power, then once away the main motor fires and the thing goes like crazy) that actually is man-portable.
But... the tank is currently here to stay. Nothing quite like a tank to carry radios and that BFG and a host of secondary weapons and in reality the shear weight of the beast is a weapon unto itself, able to knock buildings down, squash lesser vehicles and, ick, people, and just move faster than a person can run. In the right terrain the tank runs supreme, being a combo of artillery and machine gun platform, much like a destroyer amongst a fleet of rowboats.
And for those countries buying their weapons from another, there ends up the situation of the Middle East buying from Mother Russia. Is your supplier selling you the cream of the crop or 'dumbed down chimp models' that are between somewhat and severely less capable than the seller's own stuff. At least Germany played fair with Turkey and sold them top-shelf products. It's not Germany's fault that Turkey sucks. Just look at what the Poles have done with their Leopard 2s.
Since the intro of the tank, wags and pundits have been predicting the death of the tank. Much like people predicted the death of aircraft, or the death of submarines, or even the death of battleships. (Yes, in some ways the BB was finished by planes, but shifting weapons suites and adding SAMs and such, the BB would still be a formidable foe today, not the least because everyone has made anti-ship weapons designed to kill 'soft-skinned' warships, not armored warships.)
Well, same with Tanks. As man-portable weapons improved, so did Tanks. Heavier armor, better armor, add-on armor, more powerful engines, more powerful guns, more secondary guns, and now we have remote weapon mounts so the occupants don't even have to be exposed to use the secondary guns. Better sensors, better command and control equipment.
Heck, we're only a little step away from an actual BOLO Mk I. For those of you who read science fiction of the warfare variety. We could pretty much do it now, except we don't have the self-repair features yet. And then there's the ever-present threat of Skynet taking over and tossing us all into the Matrix... I do not look forward to my future overlord being named HAL or speaking with Arnold's voice.
Nope, the tank isn't going away any time soon.
DeleteMy lad has devoloped an interest in tanks recently. Picked up a Tiger in 1/35 scale yesterday, He's not happy with the desert light brown, so off dad goes to the laundry room this morning to spray a dark background. Looking forward to a more detailed model with engine compartment and driver station, but the local store wan't $85 for the PantherII, even the stock tiger was $50. Oh well, tanks..
ReplyDeleteYes, tanks. Model kits are way more expensive than they used to be.
DeleteHopefully we'll get to see pictures of the lad's efforts!
This is another “good” vid, Javelin vs T72. Featuring the line “Did you see how high the turret went?!?” (No, that will NOT “buff out.”)
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/Ovxz1_hPJKQ
Tank go boom!
DeleteApparently the ammunition stores for the T-72’s autoloader are just *itching* to be set free, when in proximity with a sufficiently brisant guest.
DeleteAnd the Sarge learns a new word!
DeleteThe ammo cooking off is a big turret flipper.