Rolling Thunder: How Tanks Rule the Battlefield
History:
Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) are one of the most important components of a modern military. These heavily armed and armored machines have been ruling battlefields ever since their introduction by British forces in the First World War with the Mark I. Though these early tanks looked little like the ones we see fielded by modern militaries, they revolutionized warfare; While World War 1 was fought mostly in trenches, with the two opposing sides in a deadlock, the introduction of tanks gave rise to new tactics and strategies, ones which were perfected by the German military in WW2.
Unlike in the past, where tanks were just armored hulls with a number of manually aimed and loaded guns and large crews, modern tanks are highly automated machines consisting of a large number of sensors that collect over a dozen forms of data and send them to computers. These computers calculate (in a matter of milliseconds) the exact trajectory at which a projectile must be fired in order to hit a target, even if it’s several kilometers away. The crew, usually consisting of 3–4 members (a commander, a gunner, a driver and sometimes a loader), can then use this calculated data in order to engage their target. Similarly some other systems on these tanks have a defensive purpose, alerting the crew in case they are being targeted and even automatically engaging defensive mechanisms to ensure the survival of the machine and its crew. All of this essentially makes the tank a giant war-fighting Robot. Below we will take a detailed look at some of these systems and how they all work together:
The Optics:
Obviously the first step to engaging a target is to spot it. Modern tanks are fitted with advanced optical sights with multiple magnification and field of view (FOV) settings in order to spot targets at long distances. Modern tanks also have night fighting capabilities as their optical sights have image intensification (night vision) or Thermal vision systems built into them. Not only do these sights allow the tank crew to spot enemy targets (usually the commanders job) and target them (usually the gunners job), they also give the crew and the tank vital information like the range and size of the enemy target through integrated laser rangefinders, these devices project a laser beam at the target and use the time taken by the laser to reflect back to determine the distance of the target. Two more important optics in a modern tank are the Muzzle reference and Auto bore-sighting systems. The former is a laser that is directed towards the tip of the gun barrel (muzzle) of the tank, it sends information regarding the angle of the tanks barrel (which tend to slightly curve due to their long lengths and high operating temperatures) to the fire control system, the latter is a system that makes sure the barrel of the tank is perfectly aligned with the optical sights, both these systems are there to ensure that not even the minutest of changes go unchecked in order to achieve maximum accuracy. Apart from these, tanks often have 360 degree view cameras for the driver in order to improve Visibility while driving. The Sight pictures and data from all of these optics are visible to the crews on their individual control panels (usually large digital screens).
Meteorological and Radiological sensors:
Apart from the host of optical sensors, tanks are also equipped with sensors that collect meteorological and radiological data. The former is essential in order to ensure the accuracy of a tanks gun, as environmental factors like wind speed, humidity, temperature and atmospheric pressure have noticeable effect on the trajectory of a projectile. These sensors also serve a defensive purpose as they can detect chemical weapons or radiation in the atmosphere, alerting the tanks control systems which in turn over-pressurize the cabin of the tank and turn on its air filters. This allows these machines to operate in contaminated environments and even survive nuclear and chemical weapons.
The Control systems:
This is the brains of the entire operation. In a tank, the fire control system (FCS) and the gun control system (GCS) are responsible for compiling all the data received by the different optics and sensors of the tanks. These computers do rapid calculations with the received data and automatically point the tanks gun in the direction of the chosen target. Modern tanks also have an “auto tracking” feature, where they will automatically move their turrets and guns to keep track of a moving target. Using the aforementioned laser range finders, these systems also take into account a “lead”, which is basically the amount by which the tank must aim ahead of a moving target in order to ensure a hit. The gun control system is also responsible for receiving data from the tanks gyroscopes and electro-hydraulic stabilizers to account for its physical location, angle (elevation) and even the curvature of the earth for long range engagements (this is called the Coriolis effect). In fact the stabilization systems of modern tanks are so advanced, that you could put a glass of water on the tip of a tanks gun and not a single drop would fall out as it drove over even the most uneven terrain. (This was showcased by the German army in a video detailing the stabilization systems of their Leopard 2 Tanks). These stabilizers, along with the GCS ensure that the tank’s gun always remains on target even if one or both of the combatants are moving, regardless of the terrain.
Defensive Systems:
In a tanks case, the best offense is a good defense; a tank is only dangerous if the enemy cannot destroy it, hence MBTs are equipped with a wide array of defensive systems. The most basic of which is the Laser warning receiver (LWR). This system includes an array of sensors all around the tank which can tell when the tank is being targeted by detecting incoming lasers and their directions, it responds by activating the smoke dispensers on the tank, creating a thick cloud of smoke that can hide the tank, allowing it to relocate or escape the enemy, it can also automatically move the tanks turret, pointing it in the direction of the incoming threat in order for the tank to retaliate. Another defensive measure some tanks employ is called the active protection system (APS), this may consist of dazzlers (a type of signal jammer that can disturb incoming enemy missiles or aiming systems) or a series or radars and projectile launchers that shoot down incoming projectiles. These systems can detect projectiles moving at several times the speed of sound and shoot them down within nanoseconds, making the tank nearly impervious to most attacks. Lastly, tanks have automated fire and explosion suppression systems in the crew and engine compartments, these systems can detect smoke and fire inside the tank if it has been penetrated and activate suppression systems that prevent catastrophic explosions.
Despite having already described nearly a dozen different systems, this is merely scratching the surface of the technological powerhouse that is a Modern tank, from the a auto-loading systems that allow them to fire nearly 8 times a minute, to the special coatings that hide their thermal signature and the massive engines that propel these 50 tons machines to speeds exceeding 70 Km/h, there is so much more to a tank that can be put into just a few hundred words. One thing though is for certain, the tank revolutionized the way wars are fought, and through technological advancements and automation, they remain the rulers of the battlefield; the spearhead of offense and the wall of defense.
This article was written by Ahmed Saeed — Event Management Assistant and Writer at RAC’23.
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