Canada's tanks

[KevinB]

and how many of those specialized components are truly necessary for the war machine to operate effectively? I can fully appreciate the value of the optics and weapon systems but engine electronics and computers are just that many more pieces that can render the equipment immobile. Better to go for the cheap frame and mechanical drive trains whilst spending your dollar on the add-ons that don't require Eveready replacements

These days technology is a huge multiplier, and the difference between an actually military and something that cosplays as one.

 

[FJAG]

Trebuchet appreciation society?

Do you have any idea how complex a trebuchet was?

And that trebuchet masters were well paid indeed and that the apprenticeship program for a trebuchet was lengthy. Even Roman artillerists working such simple things as catapultae (not the type that you think) and ballistae were highly trained specialists.

Artillery was never simple.

 

[dapaterson]

Artillery was never simple.

Gunners, on the other hand...

 

[Kirkhill]

These days technology is a huge multiplier, and the difference between an actually military and something that cosplays as one.

What do you do when your Death Star dies?

Real wars are driven by emotion and they are fought with any tools available.

That is why Trump's discussion with Putin is a nonsense. There will always be some portion of the local society that will not acquiesce. You can call them patriots, partisans, oulaws, brigands or even NAZIs. Cossacks if you like.

Consent of the governed is often hard to come by.

 

[tomydoom]

Gunners, on the other hand...

Hey, we’re in the room.

 

[dapaterson]

Gunners, on the other hand...

I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

 

[markppcli]

I'm reminded of the 72 hour burst put on by Pearl Harbor to get Yorkton operationally ready of the battle damage she sustained in the Battle of the Coral Sea in time for her to participate in the Battle of Midway. Don't expect that these days.

I'm also reminded that as a young gunner I could fix most the things wrong with my 3/4 ton and any major component replacement - including engines - could be done by your average battery RCEME team. These days, even for the simplest of vehicles, there are entirely too many specialized components which need specialized diagnostic tools with too few parts available. Don't get me started on optics and weapon systems.

Not really what me or Kevin meant. The Yorktown was recovered and refit after the fight - that should be the expectation. We’ve gotten used to recovery under fire and it’s probably a bad habit.

 

[GR66]

Not really what me or Kevin meant. The Yorktown was recovered and refit after the fight - that should be the expectation. We’ve gotten used to recovery under fire and it’s probably a bad habit.

Unless we get quite a few more tanks than we already have we might have no choice but to recover under fire in order to remain combat effective...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Unless we get quite a few more tanks than we already have we might have no choice but to recover under fire in order to remain combat effective...

Never recover armoured vehicles under fire. During the Cold War, there was no expectation that your vehicle was getting recovered until after the immediate fight.

This is a Peacekeeping/COIN scar…

 

[GR66]

Never recover armoured vehicles under fire. During the Cold War, there was no expectation that your vehicle was getting recovered until after the immediate fight.

This is a Peacekeeping/COIN scar…

I was being facetious. I was making light of the fact that we have so few operational tanks that if we didn't recover our damaged ones we wouldn't have any at all.

 

[markppcli]

Unless we get quite a few more tanks than we already have we might have no choice but to recover under fire in order to remain combat effective...

All that’s going to do is get a recovery vehicle and some very precious maintainers killed.

 

[PrairieFella]

An ARV is extremely precious. Apparently we're pretty bold with ours, most of our allies dont have them internal to the Sqn which anecdotally has been viewed very favorably by our allies in Latvia. We're more risk tolerant which has the reward of speeding up the fight. That said, gone are the days of the ARV moving up while the enemy is still breathing. The SSM tends not to commit the fast pack like that now.

 

[GR66]

China is on the modular chassis bandwagon as well apparently. Light Tank/Fire Support Vehicle on the same hull as an IFV.

China develops new modular tank and fighting vehicle

A new family of armored vehicles, including a modular platform that serves as the basis for both a medium tank and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), was spotted in China. The images, published on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, show the modern vehicles loaded onto rail transport...

defence-blog.com

Same idea as the CV90 & CV90120 combo or M10 Booker & XM30 combo (or a LAV6.0 & LAV-120 combo?)

Question being is the juice worth the squeeze? Makes sense for a number of support vehicles...AD, ATGM, Ambulance, Command, mortar, etc. but if you're using IFV's you're still likely to want MBT's in support so is a light tank necessary? Unless an APS system comes along that can reliably defeat tank rounds you're still going to want a heavier MBT. Unless the plan is to use them as a cavalry vehicle.

Too many issues with designing a main battle tank with the engine in the front to make a HAPC & MBT combo work unfortunately. Maybe if there is a breakthrough in solid state battery technology that could become an option.

 

[FJAG]

China is on the modular chassis bandwagon as well apparently. Light Tank/Fire Support Vehicle on the same hull as an IFV.

China develops new modular tank and fighting vehicle

A new family of armored vehicles, including a modular platform that serves as the basis for both a medium tank and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), was spotted in China. The images, published on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, show the modern vehicles loaded onto rail transport...

defence-blog.com

Same idea as the CV90 & CV90120 combo or M10 Booker & XM30 combo (or a LAV6.0 & LAV-120 combo?)

Question being is the juice worth the squeeze? Makes sense for a number of support vehicles...AD, ATGM, Ambulance, Command, mortar, etc. but if you're using IFV's you're still likely to want MBT's in support so is a light tank necessary? Unless an APS system comes along that can reliably defeat tank rounds you're still going to want a heavier MBT. Unless the plan is to use them as a cavalry vehicle.

Too many issues with designing a main battle tank with the engine in the front to make a HAPC & MBT combo work unfortunately. Maybe if there is a breakthrough in solid state battery technology that could become an option.

There's a better picture of the tank here:

China Developed Next Generation Tank and Armored Vehicles - Militarnyi

The latest models of Chinese armored vehicles have been delivered to Beijing and will be shown for the first time at a military parade.

militarnyi.com

It doesn't mention a common chassis and when you look at the tank with a rear exhaust and drive sprocket and compare it to the front engine and drive sprocket on the IFV it seems that they do not share the same chassis albeit there may be some components shared (like the drive wheels, tracks and - depending on weight since the tank is lighter - maybe even engine although placement varies.