Jump to content

Tank: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
←Replaced content with 'R2-D2 rocks!!!!!!'
Line 1: Line 1:
R2-D2 rocks!!!!!!
{{this|the armoured fighting vehicle}}
{{Infobox Weapon
|name= Tank
|image= [[Image:Iraq-m1 abrams.jpg|300px|M1 Abrams]]
|caption= Soldiers from [[U.S. 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment|U.S. 3d Armoured Cavalry Regiment]] provide [[overwatch]] for troops from their [[M1 Abrams]] tank in Biaj, [[Iraq]]
|origin= [[United Kingdom]], [[France]] and [[Germany]]
|type= [[Armoured fighting vehicle]]
|is_vehicle=yes
|is_UK= yes
<!-- Service history -->
|service= 1916 –
|used_by=
|wars= World War I – present
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=
|design_date=
|manufacturer=
|production_date=
|number=
|variants=
<!-- General specifications -->
|spec_label= typical
<!-- Vehicle/missile specifications -->
|armour= [[vehicle armour]] of steel plate and other enhancements
|primary_armament= large-calibre [[tank gun]]
|secondary_armament= antipersonnel and antiaircraft [[machine gun]]s
|engine=multi-fuel diesel or turbine engine
|engine_power=
|pw_ratio=
|transmission=
|payload_capacity=
|suspension= [[caterpillar track]] for cross-country mobility
|clearance=
|propellant=kerosene or diesel
|fuel_capacity=
|vehicle_range=400–600 kms
|speed=
|steering=
|transport=
}}
{{Post-Cold War tanks}}
A '''tank''' is a [[Continuous track|tracked]], [[armoured fighting vehicle]] designed for [[front-line]] combat which combines [[operational mobility]] and [[Military tactics|tactical]] [[Offensive (military)|offensive]] and [[defence (military)|defensive]] capabilities. Firepower is normally provided by a large-[[calibre]] [[Tank gun|main gun]] in a rotating [[gun turret|turret]] and secondary [[machine gun]]s, while heavy [[vehicle armor|armour]] and all-terrain [[Tank#Mobility|mobility]] provide protection for the tank and its crew, allowing it to perform all primary tasks of the armoured troops on the [[battle]]field.<ref>[[#Etterlin1960|von Senger und Etterlin (1960)]], ''The World's Armoured Fighting Vehicles'', p.9.</ref>

Tanks were [[Tanks in World War I|first manufactured]] during [[World War I]] in an effort to break the bloody deadlock of [[trench warfare]]. The [[British Army]] was the first to field a vehicle that combined three key characteristics: ''mobility'' over [[barbed wire]] and rough [[terrain]], ''armour'' to withstand [[small arms]] fire and [[shrapnel]] and the ''firepower'' required to [[suppression|suppress]] or destroy [[machine gun]] nests and [[Bunker#Pillbox|pillboxes]]. Despite some success and a significant psychological effect on the German [[infantry]], "the tank in [[1918#November|1918]] was not a war-winning weapon."<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', p.132</ref>

Interwar developments [[Tanks in World War II|culminated]] in the [[blitzkrieg]] employed by the German [[Wehrmacht]] during [[World War II]] and the contribution of the [[panzer]]s to this doctrine. Hard lessons learned by the Allies during [[World War II]] cemented the reputation of the tank, appropriately employed in [[combined arms]] forces, as "indispensable to success in both tactical and strategic terms."<ref>[[#Cooper1979|Cooper and Lucas (1979)]], ''Panzer: The Armoured Force of the Third Reich'', p.7</ref> Today, tanks seldom operate alone, being organized into [[Armoured warfare|armoured units]] and operating in combined-arms formations. Despite their apparent invulnerability, without [[Combat engineering|support]], tanks are vulnerable to [[anti-tank]] [[artillery]], [[attack helicopters|helicopters]] and [[ground attack aircraft|aircraft]], enemy tanks, [[land mine|anti-tank]] and [[improvised explosive devices|improvised mines]], and (at [[Range of a projectile|close range]] or in [[Urban area|urban environments]]) infantry.<ref>[[#Eschel2007|Eschel (2007)]], ''Assessing the performance of Merkava Tanks''</ref>

Due to its formidable capabilities and versatility the battle tank is generally considered a key component of modern armies,<ref>[[#House1984|House (1984)]], ''Toward Combined Arms Warfare:A Survey of 20th-Century Tactics, Doctrine, and Organization''</ref> but recent thinking has challenged the need for such powerful and expensive weaponry in a period characterized by [[unconventional warfare|unconventional]] and [[asymmetric warfare]].<ref>{{ cite book | first = Roger | last = Trinquier | title = Modern Warfare. A French View of Counterinsurgency, trans. Daniel Lee | quote = Pitting a traditional combined armed force trained and equipped to defeat similar military organizations against insurgents "reminds one of a pile driver attempting to crush a fly, indefatigably persisting in repeating its efforts.}}</ref> Ongoing [[Tank research and development|research and development]] attempts to equip the tank to meet the challenges of the [[tank#The 21st century: American Operations in Iraq from 2003 onward|21st century]].

{{TOClimit|limit=3}}

==History==
{{main|History of the tank|Tanks in World War I}}
[[Image:Tanks of WWI.ogg|thumb|Video clip of tanks supporting an allied advance in [[Langres]], [[France]](1918) during [[World War I|the First World War]]]]
[[Image:British Mark IV Tadpole tank.jpg|thumb|British World War I [[Mark IV tank]] with experimental "Tadpole Tail"]]
One of the first mentions of "tanks" can be found in a short story "The Ironclads" by [[H. G. Wells]] published in 1903. The first two practical designs were developed independently by Austrian engineering officer [[Günther Burstyn]] and Australian civil engineer [[Lancelot de Mole]] in 1911.

Burstyn designed his tank with a sprung suspension and armed with a single gun located in a revolving turret - a design quite similar to modern tanks - but he was unable to design a track that could carry the weight of the vehicle and propel it at reasonable speed. He submitted his idea of a "land torpedo boat" to the Military Technical Committee in Vienna but the idea was rejected as lacking sufficient merit; he did, however manage to [[patent]] his invention (Zl. 252 815 DRP).<ref>Kenneth Macksey, ''Tank Facts and Feats'', ISBN 0851122043</ref><ref>Guy Hartcup, ''The War of Invention: Scientific Developments, 1914-18'', ISBN 0080335918</ref>

Around the same time de Mole designed "a tracked armoured vehicle" and sent his sketches to the British War Office. His idea was rejected, but after [[World War I|the Great War]] the British royal commission awarded de Mole £965 for expenses, and in 1920 he was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|C.B.E.]]<ref name=Hartcup>Guy Hartcup, ''The War of Invention: Scientific Developments, 1914-18'', ISBN 0080335918</ref><ref>{{Citation
| last = C. D. Coulthard-Clark
| first =
| author-link =
| title = Australian Dictionary of Biography, online edition
| date =
| year =
| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080298b.htm
| accessdate = 2008/08/26}}</ref>

Tank or "landship" development, originally conducted by the British Navy under the auspices of the [[Landships Committee]] was sponsored by the [[First Lord of the Admiralty]], [[Winston Churchill]] and proceeded through a number of prototypes culminating in the [[Mark I tank]] prototype, named ''Mother''.<ref>[[#Willmott2003|Willmott (2003)]], ''First World War''</ref> The first tank to engage in battle was designated ''D1'', a British [[Mark I tank|Mark I]], during the [[Battle of the Somme|Battle of Flers-Courcellette]] on 15 September 1916.<ref>[[#Regan1993|Regan (1993)]], ''The Guinness Book of More Military Blunders'', p.12</ref>

In contrast to World War II, Germany fielded very few tanks during World War I, with only 15 of the [[A7V]] type being produced in Germany during the war.<ref>[[#Willmott2003|Willmott (2003)]], ''First World War'', p.222</ref> The first tank versus tank action took place on 24 April 1918 at [[Villers-Bretonneux]], [[France]], when three British [[Mark IV tank#Mark IV|Mark IV]]s met three German [[A7V]]s. <!--Who won?-->

Mechanical problems, poor mobility and piecemeal tactical deployment limited the military significance of the tank in World War I and the tank did not fulfil its promise of rendering trench warfare [[obsolete]]. Nonetheless, it was clear to military thinkers on both sides that tanks would play a significant role in future conflicts.<ref name = "Willmott2003">[[#Willmott2003|Willmott (2003)]], ''First World War''</ref>

=== Interwar years ===

In the [[History of the tank#Between the wars|interwar period]] tanks underwent further mechanical development and, in terms of tactics, [[J.F.C. Fuller]]'s doctrine of spearhead attacks with massed tank formations was the basis for work by [[Heinz Guderian]] in Germany, [[Percy Hobart]] in Britain, [[Adna R. Chaffee, Jr.]] in the U.S., [[Charles de Gaulle]] in France, and [[Mikhail Tukhachevsky]] in the USSR. All came to similar conclusions, but in the [[Second World War]] only Germany would initially put the theory into practice on a large scale, and it was their superior tactics and French blunders, not superior weapons, that made [[blitzkrieg]] so successful in May 1940.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk''.</ref> For information regarding tank development in this period, see [[History of the tank#Between the wars|tank development between the wars]].

Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union all experimented heavily with tank warfare during their clandestine and “volunteer” involvement in the [[Spanish Civil War]], which saw some of the earliest examples of successful mechanized combined arms—such as when Republican troops, equipped with Soviet-supplied medium tanks and supported by aircraft, eventually routed Italian troops fighting for the Nationalists in the seven-day [[Battle of Guadalajara]] in 1937.<ref>[[#TimeApril1937|Time (1937)]], ''Chewed up''</ref>

=== Blitzkrieg and combined arms ===
[[Image:Matilda Compass.jpg|thumb|British [[Matilda tank|Matilda II]] infantry tank advancing through [[Egypt]] as part of [[Operation Compass]], 1941]]
[[Image:T34 2.jpg|thumb|Soviet [[T-34]] medium tanks advancing near [[Leningrad]], 1942]]
[[Image:TigerITankTunis.jpg|thumb|German [[Tiger I]] heavy tank of World War II abandoned in Tunis, 1943]]
{{main|Tanks in World War II}}

World War II was the first conflict where armoured vehicles were critical to success on the battlefield and during this period the tank developed rapidly as a [[weapon system]]. During the [[Invasion of Poland (1939)|Invasion of Poland]] the [[Panzer II]] and the captured Czechoslovakian [[Panzer 38(t)]] light tanks predominated. The [[Somua S35]] and [[Char B1]] in the French Army and the [[Panzer III]] and [[Panzer IV]] medium tanks appeared in numbers during the [[Battle of France]], while the [[North African Campaign]] brought the British [[Crusader tank|Crusader]] and [[Matilda tank|Matilda]] into combat with the [[panzer]]s. In [[Operation Barbarossa]] the [[Wehrmacht]] encountered the Soviet [[T-34]] and this prompted development so that during the [[Invasion of Normandy]] from June 1944 the Germans were fielding the [[Panther tank|Panther]] and [[Tiger tank|Tiger]] tanks against the Allied [[M4 Sherman|Sherman]]. By 1945 and the final stages of the war the [[Tiger II]], [[M26 Pershing|Pershing]] and [[Iosif Stalin tank|Iosif Stalin]] tanks dominated the battlefields where they saw action.

During World War II the tactics and strategy of deploying tank forces underwent a [[revolution]]. [[Heinz Guderian]], father of the German [[panzer]] forces, said "Where tanks are, the front is", and this concept became a reality in World War II.<ref>[[#Cooper1979|Cooper and Lucas (1979)]], ''Panzer: The Armoured Force of the Third Reich'', pp. 9</ref> Following the Invasion of Poland where tanks performed in a more traditional role in close cooperation with infantry units, in the [[Battle of France]] deep independent armoured strategic penetrations were executed by the Germans, a tactic later called ''[[Blitzkrieg]]'' or 'lightning war'. Early war German tanks sacrificed [[Tank#Firepower|firepower]] and [[Tank#Protection|protection]] for [[Tank#Mobility|mobility]] and reliability. Blitzkrieg made use of innovative [[combined arms]] tactics and [[radios]] in all of the tanks to provide command and control which made them more effective tank for tank than their Allied opponents, despite the Allied machines being more than a match for the panzers one-on-one. The French Army, with tanks equal or superior to the German tanks in both quality and quantity employed a linear defensive strategy to which the armoured cavalry units were made subservient.<ref name = "Deighton1979">[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk''.</ref> The French also had poor [[command and control]] systems, lacking [[radio]]s in many of their tanks and [[headquarters]].<ref>[[#Forty2004|Forty (2004)]] p. 251.</ref> In accordance with the tactics of blitzkrieg, German tanks bypassed enemy strongpoints and could radio for [[close air support]] to destroy them, or leave them to the infantry on foot. A related development, [[mechanized infantry]], allowed some of the troops to keep up with the tanks and create highly mobile combined arms forces.<ref name = "Deighton1979"/>

[[Operation Barbarossa]] started with the Soviets having a superior tank design, the [[T-34]],<ref>[[#Zaloga1997|Zaloga ''et al.'' (1997)]]</ref> but a lack of preparations for the Axis surprise attack, mechanical problems, poor training of the crews and incompetent leadership caused the Soviet machines to be surrounded and destroyed in large numbers. However, the geographic scale of the conflict, the dogged resistance of the Soviet combat troops, Soviet manpower and production capability and the Russian Winter prevented a repeat of the ''Blitzkrieg'' of 1940.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', pp. 307</ref> Despite early successes against the Soviets, the Germans were forced to up-gun their Panzer IVs, and design and build larger and more expensive [[Panther tank|Panther]] and [[Tiger tank|Tiger]] tanks. In doing so the Wehrmacht denied the infantry and other support arms the production priorities that they needed to remain equal partners with the increasingly sophisticated tanks, in turn violating the principle of combined arms that they had pioneered.<ref name = "House1984">[[#House1984|House (1984)]], ''Toward Combined Arms Warfare:A Survey of 20th-Century Tactics, Doctrine, and Organization''</ref> In the meantime, the Soviets ramped up T-34 production for a huge quantitative advantage.<ref>Zaloga (1984), p. 175.</ref>

When entering World War II American [[mass production]] capacity enabled her to rapidly construct thousands of relatively cheap [[M4 Sherman|Sherman]] tanks. A compromise all round, the Sherman was reliable and formed a large part of the Anglo-American ground forces, but in a tank vs tank battle they were no match for the German Panther and Tiger tanks.<ref>[[#Cawthorne2003|Cawthorne (2003)]], ''Steel Fist: Tank Warfare 1939 - 45'', pp. 211</ref> [[Numerical]] and [[Military logistics|logistical]] superiority and the successful use of combined arms allowed the Allies to overrun the German forces during the [[Battle of Normandy]]. The [[Sherman Firefly]] was introduced to improve the Sherman's firepower, but concerns about protection remained.

Tank [[chassis]] were modified to produce [[flame tank]]s, mobile [[rocket artillery]] and [[combat engineering]] vehicles for tasks including [[demining|mine-clearing]] and [[bridging]]. Specialised self-propelled guns were also developed: [[tank destroyer]]s and [[assault gun]]s were cheap, stripped down tanks carrying heavy guns, often in a fixed hull mounting. The firepower and low cost of these vehicles made them attractive but as manufacturing techniques improved and larger turret rings made larger tank guns feasible, the [[gun turret]] was recognised as the most effective mounting for the main gun to allow movement in a different direction from firing, enhancing tactical flexibility.<ref name="Deighton1979"/>

=== The Cold War arms race ===
{{main|Tanks in the Cold War|Tank classification}}

During the [[Cold War]], tension between the [[Warsaw Pact]] countries and North Atlantic Treaty Organization ([[NATO]]) countries created an [[arms race]] that ensured that tank development proceeded largely as it had during World War II. The essence of tank designs during the Cold War had been hammered out in the closing stages of World War II. Large turrets, capable suspension systems, greatly improved engines, [[sloped armour]] and large-calibre (90 mm and larger) guns were standard. Tank design during the Cold War built on this foundation and included improvements to [[fire-control system|fire control]], [[gyroscopic]] gun stabilisation, communications (primarily radio) and crew comfort and saw the introduction of [[laser]] rangefinders and [[infrared]] night vision equipment. [[Composite armour|Armour technology]] progressed in an ongoing race against improvements in [[anti-tank weapons]], especially [[guided missiles|antitank guided missiles]] like the [[TOW]].

Medium tanks of World War II evolved into the ''[[main battle tank]]'' (MBT) of the Cold War and took over the majority of tank roles on the battlefield. This gradual transition occurred in the 1950s and 1960s due to [[anti-tank]] [[guided missiles]], [[armour-piercing discarding sabot|sabot]] ammunition and [[high explosive anti-tank]] warheads. World War II had shown that the speed of a light tank was no substitute for armour and firepower and heavy tanks were as vulnerable as medium tanks to newer weapon technology, rendering them [[obsolete]].

In a trend started in World War II, [[economies of scale]] led to serial production of progressively upgraded models of all major tanks during the Cold War. For the same reason many upgraded post-World War II tanks and their derivatives (for example, the [[T-55]] and [[T-72]]) remain in active service around the world, and even an obsolete tank may be the most formidable weapon on battlefields in many parts of the world.<ref>Steven Zaloga and Hugh Johnson (2004), ''T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944–2004,'' Osprey, 39-41, ISBN 1-84176-792-1, p 43</ref> Among the tanks of the 1950s were the British [[Centurion Tank|Centurion]] and Soviet T-54/55 in service from 1946, and the US [[M48 Patton|M48]] from 1951.<ref>[[#Etterlin1960|von Senger und Etterlin (1960)]], ''The World's Armoured Fighting Vehicles'', p. 61, 118 & 183</ref> These three vehicles formed the bulk of the armoured forces of NATO and the Warsaw Pact throughout the [[Cold War]]. Lessons learned from tanks such as the [[Leopard tank|Leopard 1]], [[M60 Patton]], [[Chieftain tank|Chieftain]], and [[T-72]] led to the contemporary [[Leopard 2]], [[M1 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2 tank|Challenger 2]], [[T-90]] and [[Merkava|Merkava IV]].

Tanks and anti-tank weapons of the Cold War era saw action in a number of [[proxy wars]] like the [[Korean War]], [[Vietnam War]], [[Soviet war in Afghanistan]] and Arab-Israeli conflicts culminating in the [[Yom Kippur War]]. The T-55, for example, has seen action in no fewer than [[T-55#Conflicts|32 conflicts]]. In these wars the [[USA]] or [[NATO]] countries and the [[Soviet Union]] or [[China]] consistently backed opposing forces. Proxy wars were studied by Western and Soviet [[military intelligence|military analysts]] and provided a grim contribution to the Cold War tank development process.

[[Image:Post WWII Tank Tech v2.svg|thumb|center|800px|A timeline of major technological advances in tank and infantry anti-tank equipment 1945-2008. The top region shows Western tanks and at the bottom are USSR and Russian tank developments. Selected conflicts are shown along the centre-line.]]

=== 21st century ===
As of 2005, there were 1,100 [[M1 Abrams Tank|M1 Abrams]] used by the [[United States Army]] in the course of the [[Iraq War]], and they have proven to have an unexpectedly high level of vulnerability to [[roadside bomb]]s.<ref>[[#USAToday2005a|USA Today (2005)]], ''Tanks take a beating in Iraq''</ref> A relatively new type of remotely-detonated mine, the [[explosively formed penetrator]] has been used with some success against American armoured vehicles (particularly the [[Bradley fighting vehicle]]). However, with upgrades to their armour in the rear, M1s have proven invaluable in fighting insurgents in urban combat, particularly at the [[Battle of Fallujah]], where the Marines brought in two extra brigades.<ref>[[#USAToday2005b|USA Today (2005)]], ''Tanks adapted for urban fights they once avoided''</ref> Britain deployed its [[Challenger 2]] tanks to support its operations in southern Iraq.

==Tank design==
[[Image:M1 Abrams-TUSK.svg|thumb|left|500px|Schematic diagram of a tank]]

The three traditional factors determining a tank's effectiveness in battle are its ''firepower'', ''protection'', and ''mobility''. Since the Second World War, the economics of tank production governed by the ease of manufacture and cost, and the impact of a given tank design on logistics and field maintenance capabilities, have also been accepted as important in determining how many tanks a nation can afford to field in its force structure.

No tank design has ever been fielded in significant numbers that proved to be too complex or expensive to manufacture, and made unsustainable demands on the logistics services support of the armed forces. The ''affordability of the design'' therefore takes precedence over the field performance characteristics. Nowhere was this principle illustrated better than during the Second World War when two Allied designs, the [[T-34]] and the [[M4 Sherman]], although both simple designs which accepted engineering compromises, were used successfully against more sophisticated designs by Germany which were harder to produce, were more expensive and demanding on overstretched logistics of the Wehrmacht. Given that a tank crew will spend most of its time occupied with maintenance of the vehicle, engineering simplicity has become the primary constraint on tank design since the Second World War despite advances in mechanical, electrical and electronics technologies.

Firepower is the ability of a tank to identify, engage, and destroy a target. Protection is the tank's ability to resist being detected, engaged, and disabled or destroyed by enemy fire. Mobility includes tactical (short range) movement over the battlefield including over rough terrain and obstacles, as well as strategic (long range) mobility, the ability of the tank to be transported by road, rail, sea, or air to the battlefield.

Tank design is a compromise; it is not possible to maximize firepower, protection and mobility simultaneously. For example, increasing protection by adding armour will result in an increase in weight and therefore decrease mobility; increasing firepower by installing a larger gun will force the designer to sacrifice speed or armour to compensate for the added weight and cost.

Since World War II tank development has shifted focus from experimenting with large scale mechanical changes to the tank design to focusing on technological advances in the tank's subsystems to improve its performance. However, a number of novel designs have appeared throughout this period with mixed success, including the Soviet [[IT-1]], the Swedish [[S-tank]], the Israeli [[Merkava]], and the incorporation of [[autoloader]]s to reduce the crew complement in a number of tanks.

{{further|[[Tank classification]]}}

===Firepower===
{{main|Tank gun}}

The [[tank gun|main weapon]] of all modern tanks is a single, large-[[calibre]] (105 to 125&nbsp;mm) gun mounted in a [[traverse|fully traversing]] [[gun turret|turret]]. The typical tank gun is a [[smoothbore]] weapon capable of firing armour-piercing [[kinetic energy penetrator]]s (KEP), also known as [[armour-piercing discarding sabot]] (APDS), and/or [[Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot]] (APFSDS) and [[high explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) [[shell (projectile)|shells]], and/or [[High Explosive Squash Head]] (HESH) and/or [[anti-tank guided missile]]s (ATGM) to destroy armoured targets, as well as [[Shell (projectile)#High-explosive (HE)|high explosive]] (HE) [[Shell (projectile)#High-explosive (HE)|shells]] for engaging soft targets or [[fortifications]]. [[Canister shot]] may be used in close or urban combat situations where the risk of hitting friendly forces with shrapnel from HE rounds is unacceptably high.<ref name = "USAToday2005b">[[#USAToday2005b|USA Today (2005)]], ''Tanks adapted for urban fights they once avoided''</ref>

A [[gyroscope]] is used to stabilise the main gun, allowing it to be effectively aimed and fired at the "short halt" or on the move. Modern tank guns are also commonly fitted with [[insulation|insulating]] thermal jackets to reduce gun-barrel warping caused by uneven [[thermal expansion]], [[bore evacuator]]s to minimise fumes entering the crew compartment and sometimes [[muzzle brake]]s to minimise the effect of [[recoil]] on accuracy and [[rate of fire]].

Modern target detection relies on [[telescope|telescopic]] [[periscope]]s and sophisticated [[night vision device|light intensification]] and [[thermal imaging]] equipment to improve fighting capability at night, in poor weather and in smoke. The [[accuracy]] of modern tank guns is pushed to the mechanical limit by computerized [[fire-control system]]s. A fire-control system uses a [[laser rangefinder]] to determine the range to the target, a [[thermocouple]], [[anemometer]] and [[wind vane]] to correct for weather effects and a muzzle referencing system to correct for gun-barrel temperature, warping and wear. Two sightings of a target with the range-finder enable calculation of the target movement [[Vector (geometric)|vector]]. This information is combined with the known movement of the tank and the principles of [[External ballistics|ballistics]] to calculate the [[elevation (ballistics)|elevation]] and [[predicted impact point|aim point]] that maximises the [[probability]] of hitting the target.

Usually, tanks carry small-calibre ([[machine gun|7.62]] to [[cannon#autocannon|20&nbsp;mm]]) armament for short-range defence where fire from the main weapon would be ineffective, for example when engaging [[infantry]], [[Humvee|light vehicles]] or [[close air support|aircraft]]. A typical complement of secondary weapons is a general-purpose machine gun mounted [[coaxial weapon|coaxially]] with the main gun, and a heavier [[antiaircraft]] machine gun on the turret roof.

===Protection===
[[Image:Challenger II.jpg|thumb|right|[[British Army]] [[Challenger II]] is an advanced heavily armoured modern main battle tank that utilises [[Chobham armour]].]]
{{seealso|Anti-tank warfare}}
A tank's protection is the combination of its ability to avoid detection, to avoid being hit by enemy fire, its armour to resist the effects of enemy fire, and to sustain damage and complete its mission, or at least protect its crew. In common with most unit types, tanks are subject to additional hazards in [[wooded]] and [[urban]] combat environments which largely negate the advantages of the tank's long-range firepower and mobility, limit the crew's detection capabilities and can restrict turret [[traverse]]. Despite these disadvantages, tanks retain high [[survivability]] against previous-generation [[rocket-propelled grenade]]s in all combat environments by virtue of their armour. By contrast, tank survivability against newer-generation [[tandem-warhead]] anti-tank missiles is a concern for military planners.<ref>[[#BBCNews2006|BBC News (2006)]] ''Tough lessons for Israeli armour''</ref>

====Avoiding detection====
[[Image:PantherTankColor.jpg‎|thumb|German [[Panther tank|Panther]] illustrating early use of camouflage]]
A tank avoids detection using the doctrine of CCD: [[military camouflage|camouflage]] (looks the same as the surroundings), [[concealment]] (cannot be seen) and [[deception]] (looks like something else).

Working against efforts to avoid detection is the fact that a tank is a large metallic object with a distinctive, angular [[silhouette]] that emits copious [[thermal imaging|heat]] and noise. Consequently, it's difficult to effectively camouflage a [[hull-down|hull-up]] tank in the absence of some form of [[cover]] or concealment (e.g., woods). The tank becomes easier to detect when moving (typically, whenever it is in use) due to the large, distinctive auditory, [[vibration]] and thermal signature of its power plant. Tank tracks and dust clouds also betray past or present tank movement. Switched-off tanks are vulnerable to [[infra-red]] [[thermal imaging|detection]] due to differences between the [[thermal conductivity]] and therefore [[heat#heat dissipation|heat dissipation]] of the metallic tank and its surroundings. At close range the tank can be detected even when powered down and fully concealed due to the [[heat haze|column of warmer air]] above the tank and the smell of diesel.

Thermal blankets slow the rate of heat emission and camouflage nets use a mix of materials with differing thermal properties to operate in the infra-red as well as the [[visible spectrum]]. [[camouflage#military camouflage|Camouflage]] attempts to break up the distinctive appearance and silhouette of a tank. Adopting a [[hull-down|turret-down]] or hull-down position reduces the visible silhouette of a tank as well as providing the added protection of a position in [[Enfilade and defilade#defilade|defilade]].

====Armour====
[[Image:OCPA-2005-03-09-165522.jpg|thumb|Recent modifications to the [[M1A2 Abrams]] to improve [[survivability#military survivability|survivability]] in an urban environment]]
[[Image:AbramsLost-1991.JPG|thumb|M1A1 Abrams disabled during combat against the Tawakalna [[Republican Guard]] Division, February 26 1991, later destroyed by US [[AGM-114 Hellfire|Hellfire Missile]] to prevent enemy capture.]]
{{main|Vehicle armour}}

To effectively protect the tank and its crew, tank armour must counter a wide variety of [[antitank]] threats. Protection against [[kinetic energy penetrators]] and [[high explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) shells fired by other tanks is of primary importance, but tank armour also aims to protect against infantry [[anti-tank missiles|antitank missiles]], antitank [[land mine|mines]], [[bomb]]s, direct [[artillery]] hits, and (less often) [[Weapons of mass destruction|nuclear, biological and chemical]] threats, any of which could disable or destroy a tank or its crew.

[[rolled homogeneous armour|Steel armour plate]] was the earliest type of armour. The Germans pioneered the use of [[carbon steel#case hardening|face hardened]] steel during World War II and the Soviets also achieved improved protection with [[sloped armour]] technology. World War II developments also spelled the eventual doom of homogeneous steel armour with the development of [[shaped-charge]] warheads, exemplified by the [[Panzerfaust]] and [[bazooka]] infantry weapons which were lethally effective, despite some early success with [[spaced armour]]. Magnetic mines led to the development of [[diamagnetism|anti-magnetic]] paste and paint.

British Chuck Norris took the next step with the development of [[Chobham armour]], or more generally [[composite armour]], incorporating [[ceramic]]s and [[plastic]]s in a [[resin]] matrix between steel plates, which provided good protection against [[high explosive anti-tank|HEAT]] weapons. [[high explosive squash head|Squash head]] warheads led to [[spall|anti-spall]] armour linings, and [[kinetic energy penetrator|KEPs]] led to the inclusion of exotic materials like a matrix of [[depleted uranium]] into a composite armour configuration. [[Reactive armour]] consists of small explosive-filled metal boxes that detonate when hit by the metallic jet projected by an exploding HEAT warhead, causing their metal plates to disrupt it. [[Tandem warhead]]s defeat reactive armour by causing the armour to detonate prematurely. [[Grenade launcher]]s which can rapidly deploy a [[smoke screen]] and the modern [[Shtora]] [[countermeasures#soft-kill|soft-kill countermeasure]] system provide additional protection by interfering with enemy targeting and fire-control systems.

The latest generation of protective measures for tanks are [[active protection systems]], particularly [[countermeasures#hard-kill|hard-kill countermeasures]]. The Israeli [[Trophy active protection system|TROPHY]] and [[Iron Fist]], the American [[Quick Kill active protection system|Quick Kill]], the Soviet [[Drozd]], and Russian [[Arena active protection system|Arena]] systems show the potential to dramatically improve protection for tanks against [[anti-tank missiles|missiles]], [[rocket propelled grenade|RPGs]] and potentially [[kinetic energy penetrator|KEP]] attacks, but concerns regarding a [[friendly fire|danger zone]] for nearby dismounted troops remain.

===Mobility===
[[Image:Soviet_T-80_2.JPEG|thumb|Soviet [[T-80]]BV tank, with reactive armor (this photograph has been flipped left-to-right)]]
[[Image:Type_99_MBT_front_left.jpg|thumb|A Chinese [[Type 99]] tank on display]]

The mobility of a tank is described by its [[battlefield]] or [[tactical]] mobility and its [[strategic]] mobility. Tactical mobility can be broken down firstly into agility, describing the tank's [[acceleration]], [[braking]], [[speed]] and rate of turn on various [[terrain]], and secondly obstacle clearance: the tank's ability to travel over vertical obstacles like low walls or [[trenches]] or through water. Strategic mobility is the relative ease with which a military asset can be transported between theatres of operation and falls within the scope of [[military logistics]].

Tank agility is a function of the weight of the tank due to its [[inertia]] while manoeuvring and its [[ground pressure]], the power output of the installed [[engine#modern|power plant]] and the tank [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] and [[Continuous track|track]] design. In addition, rough [[terrain]] effectively limits the tank's speed through the stress it puts on the [[suspension (vehicle)#Armoured fighting vehicle suspension|suspension]] and the crew. A breakthrough in this area was achieved during World War II when improved suspension systems were developed that allowed better cross-country performance and limited firing on the move. Systems like the earlier [[Christie suspension|Christie]] or later [[torsion-bar]] suspension developed by [[Ferdinand Porsche]] dramatically improved the tank's cross-country performance and overall mobility.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', pp. 154</ref>

A main battle tank is highly mobile and able to travel over most types of terrain due to its [[continuous track]]s and advanced suspension. The tracks disperse the significant weight of the vehicle over a large area, resulting in a [[ground pressure]] comparable to that of a walking man.<ref>[[#Thompson2000|Thompson and Sorvig (2000)]], ''Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors'', p.51</ref> A tank can travel at approximately {{convert|40|km/h|mph}} across flat terrain and up to {{convert|70|km/h|mph}} on roads, but due to the mechanical strain this places on the vehicle and the logistical strain on [[fuel]] delivery and tank [[maintenance]], these must be considered "burst" speeds that invite mechanical failure of engine and transmission systems. Consequently, wheeled tank transporters and [[railway|rail infrastructure]] is used wherever possible for long-distance tank transport. The limitations of long-range tank mobility can be viewed in sharp contrast to that of wheeled [[armoured fighting vehicles]]. The majority of [[blitzkrieg]] operations were conducted at the pedestrian pace of {{convert|5|km/h|mph}}, that only was achieved on the roads of France.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', p.180</ref>

====Water operations====
[[Image:GPM EWK 001.jpg|thumb|[[Gepanzerte Pioniermaschine]] fitted with the same snorkel as used on the [[Leopard 2]] tank]]

In the absence of [[combat engineers]], most tanks are limited to [[Ford (crossing)|fording]] rivers. The typical fording depth for MBTs is approximately {{convert|1|m|ft}}, being limited by the height of the engine air intake and driver's position. Modern [[T-90|Soviet tanks]] and the German [[Leopard I]] and [[Leopard II]] tanks can ford to a depth of 3-4 meters when properly prepared and equipped with a [[Vehicle snorkel|snorkel]] to supply air for the crew and engine. Tank crews usually have a negative reaction towards deep fording but it adds considerable scope for [[List of military tactics|surprise]] and tactical flexibility in water crossing operations by opening new and unexpected avenues of attack.

[[Amphibious vehicle#Tracked armoured vehicles and tanks|Amphibious tanks]] are specially designed or adapted for water operations, but they are rare in modern armies, being replaced by purpose-built [[amphibious assault vehicle]]s or [[armoured personnel carriers]] in [[amphibious warfare#Post-World War II|amphibious assaults]]. Advances such as the [[EFA (mobile bridge)|EFA]] mobile bridge and [[MT-55]] scissors bridge have also reduced the impediment to tank advance that rivers posed in World War II.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', pp.234-252</ref>

====Tank power plants====
The tank's power plant supplies [[kinetic energy]] to move the tank, and [[electric current|electric]] power via a [[Electrical generator#Vehicle-mounted generators|generator]] to components such as the [[gun turret|turret]] rotation [[electric motor|motors]] and the tank's [[Electronics|electronic]] systems. The tank power plant has evolved from predominantly petrol and adapted large-displacement [[aeronautical]] or [[automotive]] [[internal combustion engines|engines]] during World Wars I and II, through [[diesel engine]]s to advanced [[multi-fuel]] [[Diesel engine#Quality and variety of fuels|diesel engines]], and powerful (per unit weight) but fuel-hungry [[Gas turbine#Gas turbines in vehicles|gas turbine]]s in the [[T-80]] and [[M1 Abrams]].

Tank power output in context:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Vehicle
! Power output
! Power/weight
|-
| Mid-sized car: [[Toyota Camry]] 2.4L
| {{convert|158|hp|kW}}
| 106&nbsp;hp/tonne
|-
| Sports car: [[Lamborghini Murciélago]] 6.5L
| {{convert|632|hp|kW}}
| 383&nbsp;hp/tonne
|-
| Racing car: [[Formula One car]] 3.0L
| {{convert|950|hp|kW}}
| 2100&nbsp;hp/tonne
|-
| Main battle tank: [[Leopard 2]], [[M1 Abrams]]
| {{convert|1500|hp|kW}}
| 24.2, 24.5&nbsp;hp/tonne
|-
| Locomotive: [[SNCF Class T 2000]]
| {{convert|2581|hp|kW}}
| 11.5&nbsp;hp/tonne
|}

==Command, control and communications==
[[Image:Leo2A6M li.jpg|thumb|[[German Army]] [[Leopard 2|Leopard 2A6M]] that incorporates systems designed to be used in conjunction with a [[Network-centric warfare|networked battlefield]]]]

[[C4ISTAR|Commanding and coordinating]] tanks in the field has always been subject to particular problems, particularly in the area of communications, but in modern armies these problems have been partially alleviated by [[computer network|networked]], [[system integration|integrated]] [[system]]s that enable communications and contribute to enhanced [[situational awareness]].

===Early communications===
Armoured [[bulkhead]]s, engine noise, intervening terrain, dust and smoke, and the need to operate "buttoned up" are severe detriments to communication and lead to a sense of isolation for [[Military organization#Units, Formations & Commands|small tank units]], individual vehicles, and tank crewmen. In World War I, situation reports were sent back to headquarters by releasing carrier pigeons through vision slits and communications between vehicles was accomplished using hand signals, handheld [[Flag semaphore|semaphore flags]] (which were still in use in the [[Red Army]] in World War Two) or close range verbal communication.<ref>[[#Wright2002|Wright 2002]], ''Tank: The Progress of a Monstrous War Machine'', p. 48, <blockquote>To the extent that they communicated at all, the tank crews did so by squeezing carrier pigeons out through a hole in a gun sponson, by brandishing a shovel through the manhole, or by frantically waving coloured discs in the air.</blockquote></ref>

===Modern communications and the networked battlefield===
On the modern battlefield an [[intercom]] mounted in the crew [[helmet]] provides internal communications and a link to the [[communications network|radio network]], and on some tanks an external intercom on the rear of the tank provides communication with co-operating infantry. Radio networks employ radio [[voice procedure]] to minimise confusion and "chatter".

A recent development in [[Armoured fighting vehicle|AFV]] equipment and doctrine is [[Network-centric warfare]] (US) or [[Network Enabled Capability]] (UK). This consists of the increased integration of information from the [[fire control system]], [[laser rangefinder]], [[Global Positioning System]] and [[terrain]] information via [[Electromagnetic pulse|hardened]] [[milspec]] [[electronics]] and a [[computer networks|battlefield network]] to display all known information on enemy targets and friendly units on a [[computer monitor|monitor]] in the tank. The sensor data can be sourced from nearby tanks, [[Tactical Command Data Link|planes]], [[Unmanned aerial vehicles|UAVs]] or (in the future) [[Future Force Warrior|infantry]]. This improves the tank commander's [[situational awareness]] and ability to [[navigate]] the battlefield and select and engage targets. In addition to easing the reporting burden by automatically logging all orders and actions, orders are sent via the network with text and [[graphic]]al overlays.

{{seealso|Military communications|Command, control, and communications|C4ISTAR}}

==Research and development==
{{main|Tank research and development}}
[[Image:fcs-mcs.jpg|thumb|Artist's conception of the [[Future Combat Systems Mounted Combat System|XM1202 Mounted Combat System]]]]

In terms of firepower, the focus of current R&D is on increased detection capability such as [[Thermography|thermal imager]]s, automated fire control systems and increased [[muzzle energy]] from the gun to improve range, accuracy and armour penetration.<ref>Pengelley, Rupert, ''A new era in tank main armament,'' pp. 1521 - 1531</ref> The most mature future gun technology is the [[Electrothermal-chemical technology|electrothermal-chemical]] gun.<ref>Hilmes, Rolf (January 30, 1999), "Aspects of future MBT conception". ''Military Technology'' '''23''' (6): 7. Moench Verlagsgesellschaft Mbh.</ref> The XM291 electrothermal-chemical tank-gun has gone through successful multiple firing sequences on a modified [[M8 Armored Gun System]] chassis.<ref>Goodell, Brad (January 1, 2007), "Electrothermal Chemical (ETC) Armament Integration into a Combat Vehicle". ''IEEE Transaction on Magnetics'', Volume 23, Number 1, pp. 456-459.</ref>

To improve tank protection, one field of research involves making the tank invisible to radar by adapting [[Stealth technology|stealth]] technologies originally designed for aircraft. A variety of camera and display technologies attempt to improve tank [[camouflage]] or even render it [[invisible]]. Research is also ongoing in [[electromagnetic]] armour systems to disperse or deflect incoming shaped charge jets.<ref>Wickert, Matthias, ''Electric Armor Against Shaped Charges'', pp. 426 - 429</ref><ref>Xiaopeng, Li, et. al., ''Multiprojectile Active Electromagnetic Armor'', pp. 460 - 462</ref>

Mobility may be enhanced in future tanks by the use of [[diesel-electric]] or turbine-electric [[series hybrid]] drives improving fuel efficiency while reducing the size and weight of the power plant.<ref>''Electric/Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicles for Military Applications'', pp. 132 - 144</ref> Furthermore, advances in gas turbine technology, including the use of advanced recuperators,<ref>McDonald, Colin F., ''Gas Turbine Recuperator Renaissance'', pp. 1 - 30</ref> have allowed for reduction in engine volume and mass to less than 1 m<sup>3</sup> and 1 metric ton, respectively, while maintaining fuel efficiency similar to that of a diesel engine.<ref>Koschier, Angelo V. and Mauch, Hagen R., ''Advantages of the LV100 as a Power Producer in a Hybrid Propulsion System for Future Fighting Vehicles,'' p. 697</ref>

In line with the new doctrine of [[Network-centric warfare]], the modern battle tank shows increasing sophistication in its electronics and communication systems.

== Etymology ==

The word ''tank'' was first applied to the British "landships" in 1915, before they entered service, to keep their nature secret. There are at least three possible explanations of the precise origin of the term:

# One is it first arose in British factories making the hulls of the first battle tanks: workmen and possible spies were to be given the impression they were constructing mobile water containers or ''tanks'' for the [[British Army]], hence keeping the production of a fighting vehicle secret.<ref name="Willmott2003"/>
# Another is the term was first used in a secret report on the new motorized weapon presented to [[Winston Churchill]], then [[First Lord of the Admiralty]], by British Army Lt.-Col. [[Ernest Swinton]]. From this report, three possible terms emerged: ''cistern, motor-war car,'' and ''tank.'' Apparently ''tank'' was chosen due to its linguistic simplicity.<ref>[[#Barris2007|Barris (2007)]], ''Victory at Vimy: Canada Comes of Age April 9-12 1917'', p.116</ref>
# Perhaps the most compelling story comes from Churchill's authoritative biography. To disguise the device, drawings were marked "water carriers for Russia." When it was pointed out this might be shortened to "[[Water closet|WC]]s for Russia," the drawings were changed to "water tanks for Russia." Eventually the weapon was just called a tank.<ref>[[#Gilbert1991|Gilbert (1991)]], ''Churchill: A Life'', p.298.</ref>

==See also==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-3}}
* [[Armoured warfare]]
* [[Tank classification]]
* [[List of main battle tanks by country]]
* [[Armoured engineering vehicle]]

{{col-3}}
* [[Hull-down]]
* [[Tank desant]]
* [[Hobart's Funnies]]
* [[Tankette]]
{{col-3}}
* [[List of armoured fighting vehicles]]
* [[Armored car (military)]]
* [[Infantry fighting vehicle]]
* [[Second_Battle_of_Villers-Bretonneux#The_First_Tank_Battle|The first tank battle]]
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{refs|2}}

==References==

{{refbegin|2}}
*{{cite journal
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Electric/Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicles for Military Applications
| journal = Military Technology
| volume =
| issue = 9/2007
| pages = 132–144
| publisher = Moench Verlagsgesellschaft mbH
| location =
| date = September 2007
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
<cite id = Barris2007>
*{{Citation
| last = Barris
| first = Ted
| title = Victory at Vimy: Canada Comes of Age April 9-12 1917
| publisher = Thomas Allen Publishers
| date = 2007
| pages = 116
| id = ISBN 0887622534; ISBN 9780887622533
}} </cite> <cite id = Cawthorne2003>
*{{Citation
| last = Cawthorne
| first = Nigel
| title = Steel Fist: Tank Warfare 1939-45
| publisher = Arcturus Publishing Ltd.
| location = London
| date = 2003
| id = ISBN 0-572-02872-5
}} </cite> <cite id = Cooper1979>
*{{Citation
| author = Cooper, Matthew and Lucas, James
| title = Panzer: The Armoured Force of the Third Reich
| publisher = Book Club Associates
| date = 1979
}} </cite> <cite id = Deighton1979>
*{{ Citation
| last = Deighton
| first = Len
| title = Blitzkrieg: From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk
| publisher = Fakenham Press Limited
| location = Fakenham
| date = 1979
| id = ISBN 0-224-01648-2
}} </cite> <cite id = DiNardo1986>
*{{ Citation
| last = DiNardo
| first = Richard L.
| title = The First Modern Tank: Gunther Burstyn and His Motorgeschutz
| publisher = Society for Military History
| location = JSTOR
| url = http://www.jstor.org/pss/1988528
| date = January, 1986
| volume = 50, No.1
| pages = 12–15
}} </cite> <cite id=Eschel2007>
* {{ Citation
| last = Col. Eshel
| first = David
| title = Assessing the performance of Merkava Tanks
| url = http://www.defense-update.com/analysis/lebanon_war_3.htm
| publisher = Defense Update
| date = 2007
| accessdate = 2008-05-16
}}
<cite id = Forty2004>
* {{ Citation
| last = Forty
| first = George
| title = Tank Warfare in World War II
| publisher = Constable & Robinson Ltd
| location = London
| date = 2004
| id = ISBN 1-84119-864-1
}} </cite>
* {{ Citation
| last = Forty
| first = George
| title = The World Encyclopedia of Tanks & Armoured Fighting Vehicles
| publisher = Lorenz Books
| date = 2006
| id = ISBN 0754817415
}}
</cite> <cite id = House1984>
* {{cite journal
| last = Goodell
| first = Brad
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Electrothermal Chemical (ETC) Armament System Integration Into a Combat Vehicle
| journal = IEEE Transaction on Magnetics
| volume = 43
| issue = 1
| pages = 4
| publisher = IEEE
| date = January, 2007
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
* {{cite journal
| last = Hilmes
| first = Rolf
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Arming Future MBTs - Some Considerations
| journal = Military Technology
| volume =
| issue = 12/2004
| pages = 4
| publisher = Moench Verlagsgesellschaft Mbh
| date = December, 2004
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
* {{ Citation
| last = House
| first = Jonathan M.
| title = Toward Combined Arms Warfare: A Survey of 20th-Century Tactics, Doctrine, and Organization
| publisher = United States Government Printing
| url = http://cgsc.leavenworth.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/House/Houe.asp
| date = 1984
| accessdate = 2008-05-18
| id = ISBN 9999532357; ISBN 978-9999532358
| format = {{dead link|date=June 2008}} &ndash; <sup>[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3AHouse+intitle%3AToward+Combined+Arms+Warfare%3A+A+Survey+of+20th-Century+Tactics%2C+Doctrine%2C+and+Organization&as_publication=&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]</sup>
}}
</cite> <cite id = USAToday2005a>
* {{ Citation
| last = Komarow
| first = Steven
| title = Tanks take a beating in Iraq
| publisher = USA Today
| url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-03-29-abrams-tank-a_x.htm
| date = 2005
| accessdate = 2008-05-16
}} </cite>
*{{cite journal
| last = Koschier
| first = Angelo V.
| authorlink =
| coauthors = Hagen R. Mauch
| title = Advantages of the LV100 as a Power Producer in a Hybrid Propulsion System for Future Fighting Vehicles
| journal = Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
| volume = 122
| issue = October 2000
| pages = 693–698
| publisher =
| location =
| date = 2000
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
<cite id = Gilbert1991>
* {{ Citation
| last = Gilbert
| first = Sir Martin
| title = Churchill: A Life
| publisher = Thomas Allen Publishers
| date = 1991
| pages = 298
| id = ISBN 0762420812
}} </cite> <cite id = USAToday2005b>
* {{ Citation
| last = Komarow
| first = Steven
| title = Tanks adapted for urban fights they once avoided
| publisher = USA Today
| url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-03-29-tank-inside_x.htm
| date = 2005
| accessdate = 2008-05-16
}} </cite>
<cite id = BBCNews2006>
* {{ Citation
| last = Marcus
| first = Jonathan
| title = Tough lessons for Israeli armour
| publisher = BBC News
| date = 2006
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4794829.stm
| accessdate = 2008-05-26
}} </cite>
*{{cite journal
| last = McDonald
| first = Colin F.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Gas Turbine Recuperator Renaissance
| journal = Heat Recovery Systems & CHP
| volume = 10
| issue = 1
| pages = 1–30
| publisher = Pergamon Press
| location =
| date = 1990
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
*{{cite journal
| last = Pengelley
| first = Rupert
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = A new era in tank man armament: The options multiply
| journal = Janes International Defense Review
| volume =
| issue = November 1989
| pages = 1521–1531
| publisher =
| location =
| date = 1989
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
<cite id = Regan1993>
* {{ Citation
| last = Regan
| first = Geoffrey
| title = The Guinness Book of More Military Blunders
| location = London
| publisher = Guinness Publishing
| date = 1993
| id = ISBN 0851129617
}} </cite>
* {{ Citation
| title = The Future Combat System (FCS): Technology Evolution Review and Feasibility Assessment
| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/1997/5fcs97.pdf
| publisher = GlobalSecurity.org
| accessdate = 2008-05-26
| author = Sharoni, Asher H. and Bacon, Lawrence D.
}} <cite id = Thompson2000>
* {{ Citation
| author = Thompson, William J. and Sorvig, Kim
| title = Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors
| publisher = Island Press
| date = 2000
| pages = 51
| id = ISBN 1-55963-646-7
}} </cite>
* {{ Citation
| author = Time Life Books editors
| title = The Armored Fist
| location = Alexandria, Virginia
| publisher = Time-Life Books
| date = 1990
| id = ISBN 0-8094-8609-1; ISBN 0-8094-8608-3; ISBN 0-8094-8704-7
}} <cite id = TimeApril1937>
*{{Citation
| title = Chewed Up
| location = Alexandria, Virginia
| publisher = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] magazine
| url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757549,00.html
| date = 5 April 1937
| accessdate = 2008-05-16
}} </cite> <cite id = Tomes2004>
* {{cite journal
| last = Tomes
| first = Robert R.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Relearning Counterinsurgency Warfare
| journal = Parameters
| volume = Vol. XXXIV,
| issue = No. 1,
| pages = pp. 16-28
| publisher = US Army War College
| location =
| date = Spring, 2004
| url = http://www.army.mil/prof_writing/volumes/volume2/march_2004/3_04_1.html
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = 2008-05-26}}
</cite> <cite id = Etterlin1960>
* {{ Citation
| last = von Senger und Etterlin
| first = Dr. F. M.
| title = The World's Armoured Fighting Vehicles
| publisher = Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
| location = London
| date = 1960
}} </cite>
<cite id = Willmott2003>
*{{cite journal
| last = Wickert
| first = Matthias
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Electric Armor Against Shaped Charges: Analysis of Jet Distortion With Respect to Jet Dynamics and Current Flow
| journal = IEEE Transaction on Magnetics
| volume = 43
| issue = 1
| pages = 426–429
| publisher = IEEE
| location =
| date = January 2007
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
* {{ Citation
| last = Willmott
| first = H.P.
| title = First World War
| publisher = Dorling Kindersley
| date = 2003
| id = ISBN 1405300299; ISBN-13 9781405300292
}} </cite> <cite id = Wright2002>
* {{ Citation
| last = Wright
| first = Patrick
| title = Tank: The Progress of a Monstrous War Machine
| publisher =
| date = 2002
| id = ISBN 978-0670030705
}} </cite>
*{{cite journal
| last = Xiaopeng
| first = Li
| authorlink =
| coauthors = Meng Tao, Zhao Chun and Li Liyi
| title = Multiprojectile Active Electromagnetic Armor
| journal = IEEE Transaction on Magnetics
| volume = 43
| issue = 1
| pages = 460–462
| publisher =
| location =
| date = January 2007
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| accessdate = }}
* {{ Citation
| author = Zaloga, Steven J. and Grandsen, James
| title = Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two
| location = London
| publisher = Arms and Armour Press
| date = 1984
| id = ISBN 0-85368-606-8
}} <cite id = Zaloga1997>
* {{ Citation
| author = Zaloga, Steven J., Kinnear, Jim, Aksenov, Andrey & Koshchavtsev Aleksandr
| date = 1997
| title = Soviet Tanks in Combat 1941–45: The T-28, T-34, T-34-85, and T-44 Medium Tanks
| location = Hong Kong
| publisher = Concord Publication
| id = ISBN 962-361-615-5
}}
</cite>
{{refend}}

==Recommended reading==
* {{ Citation
| last = Macksey
| first = Kenneth
| title = Tank Warfare, A History of Tanks in Battle
| date = 1976
| location = London
| publisher = Panther
| id = ISBN 0-586-04302-0
}}
* {{ Citation
| author = Macksey, Kenneth and Batchelor, John H.
| title = Tank: A History of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle
| location = New York
| publisher = Scribner
| date = 1970
| id = ISBN 0345021665; ISBN 0356034615; ISBN 0684136511
}}
* {{ Citation
| last = Ogorkiewicz
| first = Richard M.
| title = Design and Development of Fighting Vehicles
| date = 1968
| location = London
| publisher = MacDonald
| id = ISBN 0-356-01461-4
}}
* {{ Citation
| last = Ogorkiewicz
| first = Richard M.
| title = Armoured Forces: A History of Armoured Forces and Their Vehicles
| date = 1970
| publisher = Arms & Armour Press
| id = ISBN 0-85368-049-3
}}
* {{ Citation
| last = Ogorkiewicz
| first = Richard M.
| title = Technology of Tanks
| date = 1991
| location = Coulsdon, Surrey
| publisher = Jane's Information Group
| id = ISBN 0-7106-0595-1
}}
* {{ Citation
| last = Weeks
| first = John
| title = Men Against Tanks: A History of Anti-Tank Warfare
| location = New York
| publisher = Mason Charter
| date = 1975
| id = ISBN 0-88405-130-7; ISBN 0-7153-6909-1
}}

==External links==
{{portal|Tank|Verdeja front.jpg}}
{{commons}}
{{wikiquote}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Tank.ogg|2005-09-11}}
* [http://www.landships.freeservers.com/burstyn_tank.htm The Burstyn tank] Landships has additional information and a model of [[Günther Burstyn]]'s ''Motorengeschütz''.
* [http://www.onwar.com/tanks/index.htm OnWar's Tanks of World War II] Comprehensive specifications and diagrams of World War II tanks.
* [http://www.achtungpanzer.com/panzer.htm Achtung Panzer] History of tanks and people of the Panzertruppe.
* [http://wio.ru/tank/ww1tank.htm Tanks of World War I]
* [http://wio.ru/tank/ww2aces.htm Allied tank aces of World War II]

[[Category:Tanks| ]]
[[Category:Armoured fighting vehicles by type]]
[[Category:English inventions]]
[[Category:Armoured warfare]]
[[Category:Tracked vehicles]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]

{{Link FA|eo}}
{{Link FA|es}}
{{Link FA|he}}
{{Link FA|hu}}
{{Link FA|id}}
{{Link FA|no}}
{{Link FA|ru}}
{{Link FA|tr}}

[[ur:ٹینک]]
[[ar:دبابة]]
[[zh-min-nan:Tank]]
[[bg:Танк]]
[[bs:Tenk]]
[[ca:Tanc]]
[[cs:Tank]]
[[da:Kampvogn]]
[[de:Panzer]]
[[et:Tank]]
[[el:Άρμα μάχης]]
[[es:Carro de combate]]
[[eo:Tanko]]
[[eu:Gerra-gurdi]]
[[fa:تانک]]
[[fr:Char de combat]]
[[gl:Carro de combate]]
[[zh-classical:坦克]]
[[ko:전차]]
[[hr:Tenk]]
[[id:Tank]]
[[is:Skriðdreki]]
[[it:Carro armato]]
[[he:טנק]]
[[la:Autocurrus armatus]]
[[lb:Tanks]]
[[lv:Tanks]]
[[lt:Tankas]]
[[hu:Harckocsi]]
[[mk:Тенк]]
[[ms:Kereta kebal]]
[[nl:Tank (voertuig)]]
[[ja:戦車]]
[[no:Stridsvogn]]
[[nn:Stridsvogn]]
[[uz:Tank]]
[[pl:Czołg]]
[[pt:Carro de combate]]
[[ro:Tanc]]
[[ru:Танк]]
[[simple:Tank]]
[[sk:Tank]]
[[sl:Tank]]
[[sr:Тенк]]
[[fi:Panssarivaunu]]
[[sv:Stridsvagn]]
[[ta:கவச தாங்கி]]
[[th:รถถัง]]
[[vi:Xe tăng]]
[[tr:Tank]]
[[uk:Танк (військова справа)]]
[[wa:Tank]]
[[yi:טאנק]]
[[zh-yue:坦克車]]
[[bat-smg:Tanks]]

[[zh:坦克]]

Revision as of 17:23, 2 October 2008

R2-D2 rocks!!!!!!

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tank&oldid=242537182"