Tanks of the post–Cold War era
The
The fall of the
After the Cold War, tank development continued into a third generation of main battle tanks and because of the effectiveness of antitank weapons, the technology advanced dramatically as well. Tanks became more survivable and their armour became thicker and much more effective. Fourth generation tanks are in development, with two (Japan's Type 10 and South Korea's K2) claimed as operational fourth generation tanks.
Overview
The
Developments
In 1974, the United States initiated an impressive programme to modernise its existing tank fleet and start real mass production of the
In response to infantry-portable and vehicle-mounted ATGMS, ever more capable defences were developed. Spaced
Some of the most successful second-generation Cold War tanks are still in service, indeed, some are still being built. However, they have been extensively upgraded and in some cases overhauled repeatedly and even completely rebuilt during the ensuing decades with layers of enhanced modern armor, newer guns, electronics and brand new and very different engines. Notable examples would be the T-72, Merkava and M1 Abrams. Sometimes these complete overhauls are given a new name, like the Polish Army's PT-91 Twardy based on the T-72M1 (upgrade) which derives from the T-72.
Gulf War/Iraq war
Operation Desert Storm in 1991 saw the US Marines still charging in with their M60 tanks while the rest of the tank forces had the Abrams. The Iraqi forces were initially regular army units, equipped with tanks such as
The majority of Iraq armored forces still used old Chinese
The Iraqis failed to find an effective countermeasure to the thermal sights and
In Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, an Iraqi division the 6th Armored Division of the
In addition to the
But even in those conditions, the M1s usually prevailed, as proven in circumstances like the Battle of Baghdad, and the drive to the capital, where dozens of Iraqi MBTs were obliterated,[5] or near Mahmoudiyah, south of Baghdad, April 3, 2003, (Iraqi Freedom) when US tanks engaged their counterparts from just 50 yards, shattering seven enemy T-72s without losses.[6] The Lion of Babylon T-72 was utterly outclassed by the M1 Abrams, the Challenger and by any other contemporary Western main battle tank during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[7]
Main battle tanks introduced during the post-Cold War era
Merkava Mark IV
The Israel Defense Forces Merkava Mark III was introduced in December 1989, and had upgrades to the drivetrain, powertrain, armament, and electronic systems. The most prominent addition was the incorporation of the locally developed IMI 120 mm gun.[8] This gun and a larger 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) diesel engine increased the total weight of the tank to 65 tonnes (143,000 lb), but the larger engine increased the maximum cruising speed to 60 km/h (37 mph).[9]
The turret was re-engineered for movement independent of the tank chassis, allowing it to track a target regardless of the tank's movement.
The next development was the Israel Defense Forces Merkava Mark IV tank which is the most recent upgrade of the Merkava tank and has been in development since 1999. The upgrade's development was announced in an October 1999, however, new Merkava Mark IIIs continued to be produced until 2003. The first Merkava IVs were in production in limited numbers by the end of 2004.[10]
The model has a new fire-control system, the
Tank rounds are stored in individual fire-proof canisters, which reduce the chance of cookoffs in a fire inside the tank. The turret is "dry"; it stores no active rounds.[citation needed]
Some features, such as hull shaping, exterior non-reflective paints, and shielding for engine heat plumes mixing with surrounding air to confuse enemy thermal imagers, were carried over from the IAI Lavi program of the Israeli Air Force to make the tank harder to spot by heat sensors and radar.[citation needed]
The Mark IV includes the larger 120 mm main gun of the prior versions but can fire a wider variety of ammunition, including
T-90MS
Leclerc Série XXI
The Leclerc is the French
The Leclerc is equipped with a GIAT (Nexter) CN120-26 120 mm
The Leclerc is also equipped with a 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun and a remote-controlled 7.62mm machine gun, whereas most other NATO tanks use 7.62mm weapons for both their coaxial and top machine gun mounts; the major exception is the American M1 Abrams, which has a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and two top-mounted machine guns, one 7.62mm and one 12.7mm.[citation needed]
The Leclerc has the GALIX combat vehicle protection system from
The hull and the turret are made of welded steel fitted with modular armour, which can be replaced easily for repair or upgraded over the years. The French army in the late seventies rejected
In service only since 1992 (after the
Until 2010, 13 Leclerc were deployed in the south Lebanon for a peacekeeping mission with UNIFIL.[citation needed]
C1 Ariete
The C1 Ariete is the
The Ariete's armour is a steel and composite blend, similar to the British Challenger 2 and the American M1 Abrams.
The Ariete features two side-mounted, electronically fired grenade launchers. Each launcher consists of four barrels which can be intermixed with either smoke or chaff grenades. The smoke grenades can shroud the tank from visual or thermal detection, while the chaff grenades disperse the tank's radar cross section. The tank is fully NBC protected.[13]
Challenger 2
The Challenger 2 is the British
Challenger 2 is an extensive redesign of the Challenger 1. Although the hull and automotive components seem similar, they are of a newer design and build than those of the Challenger 1, and fewer than 3% of components are interchangeable.[citation needed] Challenger 2 replaced Challenger 1 in service with the British Army and is also used by the Royal Army of Oman. It has seen operational service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.
In June 1991, after competition with other tank manufacturers' designs (including the M1A2 Abrams and the Leopard 2 (Improved)), the MoD (Ministry of Defense) placed a £520 million order for 127 MBTs and 13 driver training vehicles. An order for a further 259 tanks and 9 driver trainers (worth £800 million) was placed in 1994. Oman ordered 18 Challenger 2s in 1993 and a further 20 tanks in November 1997.
Challenger 2 entered service with the British Army in 1998 (with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment in Germany), with the last delivered in 2002. It is expected to remain in service until 2035. It serves with the Queen's Royal Hussars, the King's Royal Hussars - which will convert to the General Dynamics Ajax shortly—and the Royal Tank Regiment, each of which is the tank unit of an armoured infantry brigade.
T-84 Oplot
The newest Ukrainian main battle tank (MBT) and most sophisticated version of the T-84 is an upgraded version of the "T-84 Oplot" mounting more advanced armor, new electronic countermeasure systems, and others from KB Yugnoe. One visible feature is the new PNK-6 panoramic tank sight. It is believed a very effective tank against old ex-soviet tanks.[15]
Type 99 and 99A
The Chinese Type 99 tank (Chinese: 99式; pinyin: Jiǔjiǔ shì), also known as ZTZ-99 and WZ-123, was developed from the Type 98G (in turn, a development of the Type 98), is a third generation main battle tank (MBT) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It is made to compete with other modern tanks and is currently the most advanced MBT fielded by China.
Small-scale production of the Type 98 was begun in time for the tank to be featured in the PRC's National Day parade in 1999.
Following the completion of the Type 98, research into improved versions of the tank continued within the Chinese government. These programs produced the Type 98G, a refined iteration of the Type 98 with a better reliability record. At the end of 2001, the first batch of 40 Type 98G tanks entered service with the regular Army. The Type 98G eventually gave rise to what is now known as the Type 99, which was officially revealed by the government in 2001. The final version of the Type 99 includes a 1,500-horsepower engine, in contrast to its immediate predecessor's 1,200-horsepower. Also added were a Leopard 2A5-style sloped-arrow armor plate on the front of the turret, and additional composite armor layers on the sides.
In part due to its high cost, the tank is not expected to be deployed in large numbers, unlike earlier Chinese designs such as the Type 59. Because of the limited nature of its production, the Type 99 is currently only operated by the PLA's most elite divisions.[citation needed]
Al-Khalid
The Al-Khalid tank (
Operated by a crew of three and armed with a 125 mm
An evolution of Chinese and Soviet tanks, the design is considerably smaller and lighter than most Western main battle tanks. It is based on the Chinese Type 90-II, which combined technologies from several Soviet and Western tanks.[16] The Al-Khalid is unusual in that it was designed to be adaptable for manufacture, so that it can be easily integrated with a variety of foreign engines and transmissions. The current production variant of the Al-Khalid uses a diesel engine and transmission supplied by the KMDB design bureau of Ukraine.[citation needed] The first production models entered service with the Pakistan Army in 2001.
Arjun-Mk.1 and Mk.1A
The Arjun (
The Arjun features a 120 mm rifled gun with indigenously developed
The MK-1A (previously designated as MK2) is a new variant of Arjun tank designed to enhance firepower, mobility and survivability. It has a completely redesigned turret protected with improved Kanchan armour and ERA. The MK1A has 89 major and minor improvements, of these 73 could be easily incorporated into the MK1 variant. Other major improvements include the addition of NERA for protection, integration of the gun-launched SAMHO ATGM, integration of the gunner's main sight with the automatic target tracking system, integration of the commander's panoramic sight (CPS MK-II) with the laser rangefinder and dual magnification day sight, the addition of an uncooled thermal sight interfaced with the FCS for hunter-killer capability, the addition of an uncooled sight system with binocular vision for the driver, a remote controlled weapon station, a track width mine plough, a containerized ammunition bin with individual shutter (CABIS) for crew safety, an advanced land navigation system, a new auxiliary power unit with double power generation capacity, and a redesigned hydropneumatic suspension system with new advanced running gear system (ARGS) to enhance agility. The Arjun MK1A has considerably more indigenous content than previous variant.[21][22]
Type 10
The Japanese Type 10 (10式戦車, Hitomaru-shiki sensha) is a
In January 2012, thirteen Type 10 tanks entered JGSDF service. The vehicle's armor has been significantly enhanced with a new generation of composite armor compared to the Type 90. The developer claims that "it has excellent protection against all the various existing shells. (As of 2013)." Adopts a modular format to support upgrades in protection performance.
The Type 10 uses a 120mm L44 gun originally developed by Japan Steel Works. The Type 10's new cannon can fire the newly developed "Type 10 APFSDS" round, which is specifically designed for and can only be fired by the Type 10. The Type 10 APFSDS round is composed of amorphous metals containing heavy metal particles. It has high rigidity and is self-sharpening, Lightweight ammunition is fired at high initial velocity due to high cavity pressure.
And with its advanced C4I, Type 10 tanks can share target and self-location information between platoons in real time. This is combined with an advanced FCS that can accurately hit even when shooting while maneuvering, and a high-speed automatic loading device that can re-fire within 3.5 seconds, and it is possible to demonstrate high striking power. Currently, the Type 10 tank is the only MBT equipped with the FCP(Fire Control Picture)-level C4I.
The engine is 1200 horsepower, but the shaft output is improved by adopting the original HMT,[24] and the mobility is superior to the Type 90.
K2 Black Panther
The
The next generation main battle tank to be developed by ADD was named "XK-2," and the main objective of the development project was to secure new main battle tanks to replace the aging M48A3K and M48A5KW operated by the South Korean Army, as well as to prepare for North Korea's armored power.[25][26]
From 1995 to 1997, research was conducted on the concept of tank, including function, performance, shape, and necessary technology, and from 1998 to 2002, development of tank specific design and core technology and parts were conducted to develop 120 mm tank guns, automatic target tracking devices, autoloaders, and operating software.[27][28]
From 2003 to 2007, five vehicles were built to demonstrate technology and performance, named MTR (Mobility Test Rig), FTR (Firepower Test Rig), PV1, PV2, and PV3. MTR and FTR conducted mobility, fire control, combat control, and low temperature operating life tests, while PV1, PV2, and PV3 conducted endurance test, developer test, operator test, and
The K2 has a 120 mm 55-caliber
On July 29, 2008, Hyundai Rotem and Otokar signed a contract for technology transfer and design assistance for the Altay Tank Development Project. This contract includes technology transfer and design assistance for systems, armor package, and 120 mm guns required for Altay tank development.[32][33][34][35]
The South Korean military are set to begin development of the K-2 PIP which is to be an upgrade of the current K-2 model with further advancements in aspects such as armour, weaponry and optics such as a hard-kill APS.
Karrar
The Iranian new MBT. The tank was announced on 12 March 2017. At the announcement, it was stated that it possessed an electro-optical fire control system, a laser rangefinder, ballistic computer and could fire at both stable and mobile targets in day or night. Main armament of the Karrar consists of one 125mm smoothbore gun fitted with a fume extractor and a thermal sleeve. A remotely operated weapon station armed with a 12.7mm machine gun is mounted on the roof of the turret. The main gun can fire anti-tank laser-guided missiles.
Altay
The Turkish Altay is a
The Altay was designed from 2008 until 2012. Weighing in 65 tons it is one of the heaviest MBTs in service. 4 are actually in service and a total of 1,000 MBTs are planned to be produced in four separate lots of 250 units. The Altay needs a crew of 4: commander, gunner, loader, and driver. No autoloader is present. This machine features
The Altay will compete on the Turkish army contract estimated at $2B for a batch of 250 tanks. Three more similar batches are expected.[41]
T-14 Armata
See also
- History of the tank
- Tanks in World War I
- Comparison of World War I tanks
- Tanks of the interwar period
- Tanks in World War II
- Comparison of early World War II tanks
- Tanks in the Cold War
- Armoured fighting vehicle
References
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