How It Works-Amazing Vehicles

From defence to attack,

discover the many roles

of tanks in warfare

Since their fi rst deployment, tanks have had

multiple combat roles. As the world’s foremost

military organisations began to evaluate the

potential of the tank and either embrace or

discount its future, militar y establishments

developed their own specifi c roles for the

armoured vehicle.

A division of labour emerged. Tanks were

either built with heav y armour and weapons for

striking power, or slimmed down for speed and

rapid manoeuvre. Even during its infancy, the

British Tank Corps fi elded heav ier Mark IV and

Mark V tanks in World War I along with the

faster and more manoeuvrable Whippet. The

heav ier tanks were intended to breach German

trenches, creating gaps through which the

lighter tanks would slash into enemy areas.

While the heav y tanks struck powerful blows,

the light tanks ser ved as modern, armoured

cavalry. This tactic continued into World War II,

with advanced light, medium, and heav y tanks

assuming the roles of their predecessors. Tank

versus tank combat became more common, and

the growing diversit y of operational roles

resulted in a variet y of armoured vehicles, some

designed specifi cally to destroy enemy tanks.

During the Cold War and into the 21st centur y,

cost concerns and improved technology have

fuelled the concept of the main battle tank. With

highly effi cient engines that deliver substantial

power and light composite armour that allows

greater speed, the performance gap that

prev iously existed has narrowed.

The modern battle tank combines

earlier designs into a single,

all-round-lethal machine.

Tip of the spear

The main battle tank

sometimes serves as an

offensive force’s vanguard,

utilising speed, fi repower,

and armour protection to

the fullest.

Climate control

Specialised design and

equipment allows

modern tanks to

operate in the harshest

climates, from the

frozen Arctic to the

Middle Eastern desert.

Mutual support

In open country, tanks

advance in echelon,

wedge, vee, column,

and other formations,

covering one another to

the front, sides and rear.

Clearing mines

Specialised variants of tanks

perform critical security roles,

such as clearing mines with the

use of certain attachments.

Python minefi eld

breaching system

A rocket trailing a hose full of

explosive is launched along

ahead of the tank, detonating

as it lands to clear over 90 per

cent of mines in its path.

A Leopard 2A6 of the German

Army speeds across fl at terrain

The German Tiger tank

could destroy an enemy

vehicle from 2km away

Battle taxi

Light tanks and armoured

infantry vehicles shuttle

infantry squads and

wounded soldiers to and

from the front lines.

Recon point

Light tanks often perform

reconnaissance for armoured

and infantry formations,

fi xing the enemy’s location.

MILITARY

The modern

battlefi eld