What is unknown is the way in which advances in technology will influence the solution. What does such a direct fire capability need to provide? The answer is, as it has ‘always’ been: lethality, survivability, and mobility, under all extremes of climate and terrain. This is self-evident. The fact that the next ‘tank’ may not be anything like the Abrams, is without dispute.
It follows that there will be a need to provide direct fire support, aka the tank capability, as part of a combined arms force underpinning land operations. Is it possible that future wars will not involve infantry? There will be all sorts of autonomous machines, but will any be able to take the place of a soldier? The answer is certainly ‘no’ in the timeframe under consideration. The answer has to start with the role that the tank fulfils on the battlefield. But what about the day after and the day after that? What will the replacement for the Abrams tank capability look like? The Abrams tank is adequate today and can be improved to meet the needs of tomorrow. The US is examining the same circumstances (and has been for many years). This is exactly the foresight that is to be expected of our Defence staff. The fact that Defence has committed to developing options to replace the Abrams, indicates that the tank capability is recognised in terms of its importance for the ADF (and its contingency plans). This new system will integrate with reconnaissance and infantry fighting vehicles to ensure the land force retains a decisive land combat capability into the future.' The 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan stated that: 'Defence will develop options for a system to replace the current tank capability when it reaches its end of life.
So, what’s next? Do they still have a role to play? If so, how do they need to evolve and what will the next generation look like in terms of features and capabilities?' 'For just over a century, the tank has been the key symbol of land power. Today, tanks no longer enjoy the same level of battlefield supremacy that they used to.
0 kommentar(er)
