The Main Battle Tank remains the primary weapon system able to effectively manoeuvre to take the battle to the enemy. This capability has, however, been jeopardized by the widespread introduction of armed drones and precision guided missiles against which MBTs have been ill-equipped to counter.
Previous reliance upon passive armour has been demonstrated to be unreliable given the ability of these threats to attack the more vulnerable top and rear of the vehicle. Largely lacking appropriate countermeasures forward use of MBTs has been curtailed and losses have increased despite the fitting of innovative defensive overhead screens.
MBT developers are moving rapidly to close these vulnerabilities is evident in the designs being presented at recent defence exhibitions. These counter-drone/counter-missile capabilities are being fully integrated into the MBTs and in some cases other combat vehicles rather than being add-ons. This approach allows these various systems to work together complementing each other thereby enhancing their effectiveness.
KNDS’s Leopard 2 ARC 3.0, shown at EuroSatory 2024 includes a feature that one can expect tank crews have longed to have since the first attack drones arrived on the battlefield – a means to aggressively engage and kill them.
The ARC 3.0 is, in fact, intended to be an intermediate design that can address the current battlefield challenges until a fully new “future generation” MBT is finalized. It includes advanced passive, reactive and active protection systems to enhance survivability. Still one of its more distinctive features is its roof mounted remote weapon station mounting a 30X113mm automatic cannon.
Although other MBTs including the US M1A2 Abrams have had a .50 heavy machine gun RWS the step up to 30mm offers not only greater lethality but also a range of ammunitions ideally suited to engaging drones and anti-tank missiles and their crews. This weapon is already part of a number of dedicated CUAS/Air Defence vehicles. The 30mm suite includes the Northrop Grumman XM1211 with proximity detonation which has demonstrated its effectiveness not only against drones but also missiles and personnel includes those in defilade.
In addition, the 30mm high explosive dual purpose can address light armour and emplacements. In the KNDS design the 30 RWS also integrates eight multi-spectral defeating obscurant launchers that train with the turret. The addition of the 30mm RWS provides the MBT with an offensive capability to engage drones that may threaten. No longer is a crew solely reliant on armour to protect itself – what had previously been the hunted can now become the hunter. This dynamic returns the Main Battle Tank to its primary purpose – being able to effectively engage and defeat every threat on the battlefield.
by Stephen W. Miller
