What Will Happen to These Tanks?

During and after World War 2, tanks were divided into several categories such as light, medium and heavy tanks. However, over time, NATO and Warsaw Pact countries decided on a standardised main battle tank. When armoured fighting vehicles were built, light tanks disappeared completely. 

Heavy tanks were phased out without replacement. However, a look at today's main battle tanks shows that most of them have become as heavy as the heavy tanks of the past. While Russian tanks remain somewhat lighter, Western tanks are becoming increasingly heavier due to the addition of new armour protection systems and other systems to protect against new anti-tank weapons.

This increase in weight not only fails to provide the desired protection against anti-tank weapons, but also causes other weight-related problems. For example, during the First and Second Gulf Wars, many American tanks became ineffective by getting stuck in the mud due to their weight. In Ukraine, not only American Abrams tanks, but also German Leopard and British Challenger tanks faced the same problem. 

This is not the only problem of heavy tanks. In Iraq, Syria and Ukraine, it was clearly seen that the existing tanks were not at all useful in built-up areas. For example, the load-bearing capacity of some bridges in built-up areas is not sufficient to carry Western tanks weighing around 80 tonnes. The tracks of the heavy tanks, on the other hand, spoil the roads and collapse the culverts. Naturally, these incidents increased the number of track failures.

These tanks, which were not only heavy but also large, could not use narrow streets in residential areas and could not pass under bridges that were not high enough. The long tank barrel could not be turned in all directions due to obstacles such as poles on the sides of the roads, and therefore tanks became weapons that could only fire forwards.

For this reason, instead of producing a single type of standardised tank as in the past, issues such as producing light tanks according to the region where they will be used or reducing the weight of existing tanks have started to be discussed. However, this situation should not be understood as a return to the light tanks of the past. Because the intended use of the light tanks proposed to be produced is different from the intended use of the light tanks of the past.

During World War II and the early Cold War, the old light tanks were used for tasks such as reconnaissance, rear area security and flank security. In addition, light tanks protected infantry in areas of the battlefield that did not require medium or heavy tanks, and were expected to engage in direct combat with enemy light armoured vehicles. 

M5 Stuart Light Tank Used in World War II Below

M41 Walker Bulldog Light Tank of Korea and Vietnam at the base

These tanks were generally faster and lighter than medium, heavy or main battle tanks. This gave them better mobility. Although they were rarely able to oppose heavier tanks in battle, they were capable of destroying lighter enemy tanks and other armoured vehicles like themselves. Most light tanks were amphibious, which allowed reconnaissance units to cross water obstacles as they advanced ahead of the main force.

Above: M551A1 Sheridan Light Tank 

Another role of light tanks was to provide fire support for air or naval units. Here weight or amphibious capability was the key feature. The whole purpose of light tanks in these units was to provide mobile and armoured heavy firepower to infantry units. They did not need to carry infantry. 

Soviet PT-76 Light Tank Used by the Vietnam Marines

When armoured combat vehicles capable of performing these tasks appeared, light tanks became largely redundant. This is because armoured fighting vehicles can not only perform the tasks of light tanks but also carry some infantry. In addition, they have versatile weapons, weigh about the same as a light tank, and are often amphibious.

Therefore, what is currently being discussed is not a return to light tanks instead of armoured fighting vehicles. The emphasis is on the continued development of armoured combat vehicles, but on developing new solutions to overcome the problems faced by main battle tanks. 

For this purpose, studies focus on reducing the weight of existing tanks, producing new light tanks or using existing armoured combat vehicles as tanks by increasing the gun diameter.

For example, the US-made General Dynamics Griffin armoured combat vehicles, which are produced in different models ranging in weight from 27 tonnes to 50 tonnes, have recently been accepted by the US Army for use by Air Force units. While the USA is innovating in armoured combat vehicles, some countries are also working on producing lighter main battle tanks. The Japanese Type-10 tank with a fully loaded weight of 48 tonnes and the German KF-51, which is planned to weigh a maximum of 59 tonnes, are obvious examples of this.

Below General Dynamics Griffin Armoured Fighting Vehicle

Armata T-14 on top

The Russians, on the other hand, have been trying to reduce weight by using reactive armour and automatic loading systems and keeping the turret small since the Soviet Union period. However, they have also slightly increased the weight of their newly developed Armata T-14 tank. Nevertheless, this tank is still at least 15-20 tonnes lighter than any Western tank.