Thread: What (if anything) will make the tank obsolete?

Originally Posted by ArmchairGeneral

In essence, tanks replaced cavalry. They are highly mobile and have lots of firepower. As long as there is land warfare, there will be a need for a mobile striking force. The question is, is there anything imaginable that can provide this more effectively than tanks? It's not easy to envision such a thing, but if we do see some new form of cavalry, then tanks will be gone. Perhaps genetically engineered super animals that can live off the land, are covered in super strong armor and carry high powered lasers?

How about comparing Cavalry with helicopters? These can have more firepower, carry personnel and be very mobile.......

In my view ATGMs and Helicopters may make heavy tanks extinct. I read somewhere that M1A wieghts enough to have problems with so many bridges. Mobility?

The question of heavy armor is an interesting one. I was thinking about the history of cavalry the other day, and I realized that for a large part of the recent history of horse cavalry, armor was nearly nonexistent. They depended on speed and concealment for protection. I doubt that we'll see the disappearance of heavy armor any time soon, but perhaps it will fade away from its current prominence.

As for the idea of helicopters as cavalry, AirCav has been part of the US Army since Vietnam. I doubt it will ever replace land vehicles, though. Of course they have a speed advantage, but no matter how stealthy you make it, a helicopter is easier to spot than a couple of Humvees or light tanks moving along a country lane. And you really cannot hold a position with helicopters.

I expect that helicopters will continue to grow in importance, but not replace landborne mobile forces. Perhaps in the distant future the distinction between land and air will become blurred, if they can make some sort of silent, cross country capable hovercraft.

Originally Posted by ArmchairGeneral

I doubt that we'll see the disappearance of heavy armor any time soon, but perhaps it will fade away from its current prominence.

That's a fact. The onset of MOUT and other factors have quickly made the armored corps, at least in the IDF, into infantry soldiers, just like any other GI. There are a couple areas where they use tanks, but they're almost all on the borders, i.e., near the Egyptian border, the Har Dov region near Lebanon, and of course, Gaza

How long does it take to re-role those tankers into infantry?

No time at all, since for the first three-four months of their training they follow the same program as any other infantry force. After that they learn how to use the tank and have Advanced Training as tankers. All that needs to be done is before a battalion accepts an area of responsibility, it's forces go through a couple days of intense shooting ranges and stuff like that.

That's extremely fast. Are there missions where they're restricted from participating because of lack of traning? ie, clearing a building?

There are some things that we don't have training for, like a full pitched infantry battle (which we could do if really necessary), or for clearing out a hostile building, but we can close off or cordon off a building, set up a roadblock, and do most of the things infantry knows how to do. Plus, we have the double training in tanks, wo that makes us pretty valuable for the bean counters

So, like engineers, you have a secondary tasking as infantry.

You will always need a strong presence on the ground and tanks fit the bill, more manouverable than apc's and more firepower. What will happen is I think they will get lighter and faster.

Now a hovertank would be cool, one that transforms into an ass kicking robot ala Robotech. Sorry I've just wanted to see a real one since I was like 6 and the wish never really faded.