Page 10 - ADT SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023 Latest Magazine | GBP

COVETED ASSETS

Despite the vulnerability to anti-armour weapons, main battle tanks
continue to be in demand across regions and play a decisive role

in complex battle environments

By ARUN SIVASANKARAN

ven as the Russia-Ukraine war drags on, The ongoing war has also stirred up a longstanding
military heads across regions are learning debate on main battle tanks (MBTs). Ever since the Yom
valuable lessons about what will work in future Kippur War in 1973 when Arab infantry deployed Soviet-
battlefields. They also now have a fair idea of built AT-3 Sagger anti-tank guided missiles to destroy
E what won’t. several Israeli tanks and armored vehicles, questions over
whether MBTs are an asset or a liability in a modern bat-
tlefield have lingered. For long the most dominant ground
The most notable takeaway from the ongoing conflict weapon on the battlefield, MBTs have in recent decades
is the growing importance of military unmanned aerial been successfully targeted by attack helicopters and
systems (UAS) in modern warfare. So integral has Turkey’s anti-tank weapons. The destruction of MBTs in the 2020
Bayraktar TB2 UAS been in Ukraine thwarting Russian conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the ongoing
aggression that the drone has achieved something of a Ukraine war underscores the vulnerability of the tanks not
cult status in the country. Bayraktar now features in the just against helicopters and anti-tank weapons but also
lyrics of a popular Ukrainian song. A newborn lemur in Kyiv’s against military drones and loitering munitions.
Zoo has been named Bayraktar; a puppy at the Kyiv police
dog training center also has the same name. Baykar, the
Turkish maker of Bayraktar drones, has a three-year back- Despite the hammering that they have received in recent
log. The hype around military drones is only going to grow. conflicts, MBTs remain in demand in military circles, with

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