© TAF A Look at Ongoing MBT Upgrades & New MBT Programs in the Western World İbrahim SÜNNETÇİ The Fire Power, support the infantry forces of the MBT have been in September 1916, there Protection on the battlefield with declared many times has been a race between (Survivability) and instantaneous, accurate before especially when the tanks and anti-tank and direct fire support first ATGM was deployed weapons. Even once the Mobility defines whenever and wherever at the battlefield in anti-tank weapons had the three basic it is needed either on the early 1970s, the MBT has the upper hand (at Yom characteristics of move or stationery. repeatedly proven itself Kippur War in October the Main Battle after each incidents and 1973 when the Israelis had As one of the many types managed to survive, not suffered heavy tank losses Tank (MBT) that of Armoured Fighting first deployed in vanquished though it due to Soviet-made man Vehicles (AFVs) found on was humbled with the portable Sagger ATGMs September 1916 the modern battlefield, introduction of wire- and rocket launchers), and dominated tanks have been guided anti-tank guided thanks to deployment of battlefields produced in all shapes missiles (ATGMs). advanced armour systems throughout the and sizes throughout (including passive and their 104 years of Since the deployment of reactive armour systems) rest of the 20th evolution but their ability first British Mark I heavy Century and and effective hard- of carrying firepower tanks (weighing 28 tonnes kill Active Protection beyond. on the battlefield with and powered by a six Systems (the APSs are a protected crew and cylinder petrol engine indeed operational since Thanks to their weapons has remained generating 105hp it was December 1983 with survivability, long-range essential. the first operational tank in Russian Drozd but they weapons, sensors and the British Army and in the cannot be effectively ability to deliver firepower Even though the world) at the battlefield used until necessary accurately, the MBTs can obsolescence and death during Battle of Somme advancements had 106 achieved in computer during MOUT-operations conflicts it was once again armoured vehicles for and sensor technologies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and shown that contrary to ground combat in future’s in 2000s) coupled with a Yemen with few technical ATGM, IED and mine military strategy so the Missile Warning System errors by non-state forces threats the MBT is still a MBTs will still be around for (MWS) such as Israel’s and terrorists. As it was potent force and if fitted their bi centenary in 2116. Trophy System (ASPRO-A, proved in recent conflicts, with an effective APS However, due to new and adopted for use on the unless they are equipped coupled with a MWS and improved technologies Merkava Mk4 in 2009 and with state-of-the art utilized under true tactics the design of the future tested by the IDF Ground technology and effective (including improved MBT in the western world Forces Command by firing hard-kill Active Protection cooperation with infantry would be completely a dud ATGM in December System (APS) coupled to minimize exposure to different from current 2010 is able to detect, with a Missile Warning long-range attacks) in designs featuring stealth classify and engage all System (MWS) even the the hands of well-trained, technologies, unmanned known chemical energy contemporary MBTs, highly professional crew turret systems, active [CE] threats including; featuring an innovative the awesome power of electric armour, electric recoilless rifles, ATGMs, design that combines the MBTs have not yet or hybrid drive systems anti-tank rockets, HEAT maximum fire-power superseded by any other that reduce engine heat tank rounds, and RPGs) the and manoeuvrability with weapon system on the signatures, lasers and balance between tanks high crew safety, are still battlefield. energy weapons. and anti-tank weapons vulnerable on a battlefield have been restored in which long-range, It is clear that forces Recent Military during last decade. The advanced guided third fighting today’s conflicts, Trends in MBT Trophy APS deployed on generation ATGMs have where the hybrid and Field Merkava MBTs during proliferated. asymmetrical warfare Gaza conflicts in 2011 and tactics are implemented, While there has been a 2014 proved that it could During last decade at still need MBTs and heavy declining MBT market in prevent damage to tank asymmetric MOUT (Military armour because the MBTs West at the end of Cold from asymmetric threats, Operations on Urban and heavy armoured War (as stated by the such as those from RPGs Terrain) operations carried formations are the only European Defence Agency and ATGMs in urban areas out in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria units able to manoeuvre the number of heavy tanks and diminishes necessity and Yemen, where the on a battlefield where in the EU member states for the integration of add- anti-tank guided missiles an adversary has an has fallen from 15,000 to on armour kits which lead (ATGMs) have destroyed effective standoff weapons only 5,000 since the turn to increase in MBT total far more armoured vehicles capability, particularly of the millennium), this weight and profile. During than tank main guns have, ATGMs. has not been the case the 2014 Gaza conflict, the the MBTs were increasingly in the Middle East and deployed as a “direct Will the MBT in the Far East countries Trophy APS destroyed Continue to around 15 ATGM’s and fire support system” for such as China (China RPG’s shot at Merkava deployed infantry forces. Play a Role on achieved the serial MBTs. Not a single ATGM But as it was experienced Tomorrow’s production of the Type hit a Merkava MBT. with high loss records Battlefields? 80 MBT that represents deployments of the MBTs a major advances in It is widely accepted that in such role exposes high History of the late 20th Chinese tank design the breakthroughs in anti- vulnerability especially and early 21th century since it incorporates tank weapon systems against ATGMs as well has proven that the MBT many developments development and ease as improvised explosive still is the backbone of including stabilization and of their obtainment devices (IEDs) and mines. operations of Land Forces computerized fire-control have made the modern During recent conflicts in symmetric as well as in system in late 1980s and in battlefield more many MBTs that utilized asymmetric operations early 1990s the Type 90-II dangerous than ever for as a “direct fire support and will remain the central MBT [also known as MBT the MBTs. Thanks to their system” have been hit and element of the ground 2000] appeared which ease of operation the third knocked out of commission force structure, with a incorporates considerable generation ATGMs are by second (such as TOW continued role of primary improvements in nowadays can be used 2A) and third generation importance in the future firepower, protection and with tactical skill, including (such as Kornet-E) ATGMs battlefield. mobility over previous “swarm” techniques (firing used with asymmetrical Chinese MBTs), Japan (in multiple ATGM rounds at warfare tactics. It is widely accepted by 1990 Japanese consortium the same target at the the experts that there is headed by Mitsubishi same time) at ambushes Never the less at recent still a necessity for heavy Heavy Industries started 107 against Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) with shaped-charge warhead and a tank-to-infantry telephone (allowing tank crew to communicate with nearby infantry). Starting from 2014 opposition forces (non- state military forces and proxy fighters) in Syria, Iraq and Yemen gained some experiences (learn to utilize asymmetric warfare tactics against armoured vehicles in urban environment) and captured/taken over (from © Mitsubishi Syria or Iraq Government Mitsubishi Heavy Industries indigenous Type 90 MBT bases) or somehow obtained substantial production of indigenous generation optics and upgrade meant to keep amount of ATGMs, which Type 90 MBT that is still fire control systems, which them ahead of the threat. allowed them to destroy in Japan Ground Self- in time turned into a big In this context MBTs were many armoured vehicles Defence Force service but business all over the world. fitted with a 12,7mm including MBTs. has not been offered for However, as a result of Remotely Operated export) and the Republic experiences gained during Weapons Station (to The US (provided weapons of Korea (under a joint counterinsurgency (COIN) allow the commander including ATGM missiles to US-South Korean project operations in Iraq and to shoot at targets from rebels fighting the Assad entirely South Korean- Afghanistan, where the the safety of inside the regime and ISIS in Syria), built Type 88 K1 MBT was threat mainly stemmed tank), underbelly mine Russia and Iran that send developed and entered from lightly armed protection kit (to counter modern ATGMs along with Republic of Korean Army (main weapons against the latest mine and IED other weaponry to arm service in 1987 and first armoured vehicles were threats), add-on armour and train proxy fighters production vehicle of its RPGs and IEDs and/or kits at the front and sides and non-state actors have improved variant dubbed mines) opposition forces (such as the brick-like M19 also played an important K1A1 MBT that fitted with (insurgents/rebels) with ARAT 1 and M32 ARAT role in the proliferation 120mm smoothbore poor tactics, conventional 2 on M1A1/A2 Abrams) of the modern ATGMs main gun was produced MBTs received further to improve protection in recent asymmetric in 1996) which have developed their own MBT building industries and manufactured indigenous MBT solutions some of which already succeeded to secure export orders. Starting from the beginning of 2000s consideration has been given both to lighter, smaller and air transportable medium MBTs and AFVs with identical firepower to supplement heavy MBT fleets and fitting old tanks with more powerful guns, powerpacks, new M1A2C SEPv3 with TROPHY APS 108 MOUT operations in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.