Tank: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Weapon

|name = Tank

|image = [[File:T-55 skos RB.jpg|300px|]]

|caption = [[T-55]] in the Museum of Armament, [[Poznań]]

|origin = [[United Kingdom]], [[France]]

|type = [[Armoured Fighting Vehicle]]

|is_vehicle = yes

|is_UK = yes

|service = 1916–present

|armour = [[Steel plate]] or [[composite armour]]. May be supplemented by [[explosive reactive armour]] plating.

|primary_armament = [[Tank gun]]

|suspension = [[Caterpillar track]]

}}

{{otheruses}}

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 [[defense (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 armour|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 and Etterlin (1960)]], ''The World's Armored Fighting Vehicles'', p.9.</ref>

Tanks were [[Tanks in World War I|first introduced]] by the [[France|French]] and first used in combat by the [[United Kingdom|British]] during [[World War I]] as a means to break the deadlock of [[trench warfare]]. They were first deployed at the [[Battle of Somme]] in limited numbers. During construction, to conceal their true identity as weapons, they were designated as water carriers for the [[Mesopotamian campaign]] and referred to as "tanks" (as in "[[water tank]]").

Interwar developments in both design and tactics [[Tanks in World War II|evolved during World War II]], producing important concepts of [[armoured warfare]] which persist to this day and were prominently displayed during [[World War II]]. The [[Soviet Union]] introduced the [[T-34]], one of the best tanks in service throughout the war and one of the forerunners to the [[main battle tank]]. [[Germany]] introduced [[blitzkrieg]], a strategy which makes use of massed concentrations of tanks supported by [[artillery]] and [[air power]] to break through the [[front (military)|enemy front]] and cause a complete collapse in enemy resistance.

Today, tanks seldom operate alone, as they are organized into [[Armoured warfare|armoured units]] which involve the support of [[infantry]], who may accompany the tanks in [[armoured personnel carrier]]s or [[infantry fighting vehicle]]s. They are also usually accompanied by [[Surveillance aircraft|reconnaissance]] or [[ground-attack aircraft]].

Due to its formidable capabilities and versatility the battle tank is generally considered a key component of modern armies.<ref name="House1984"/> However, the prevalence of [[unconventional warfare|unconventional]] and [[asymmetric warfare]] have put into question the utility of the armoured force.<ref>{{ Citation | first = Roger | last = Tranquiler | 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 organisations 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}}

===Conception===

[[File:Levavasseur project.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Levavasseur project]] described a crawler-tracked armoured vehicle equiped with artillery as early as 1903.<ref>Gougaud, p.101</ref><ref>''Armoured fighting vehicles of the world''‎, p.65</ref>]]

Apart from Leonardo da Vinci's drawing of a round, tank-like armoured wagon, the first description of a tank-like vehicle and its usefulness in trench warfare is found in an [[H.G. Wells]] short story, "[[The Land Ironclads]]", in the ''Strand Magazine'', December 1903. The concept of the tank is implicit, however, in two letters published in 1833 in ''The London United Service Magazine''. In the first (January 1833) “A Constant Reader” wrote from Bombay to propose the creation of “Steam Chariots of War”: “The great forte of steam is its passiveness. Secure the boiler and the machinery from the stroke of a cannon-ball, and you might drive a steam-chariot triumphantly through a regiment. Imagine three or four of these machines driven at a galloping speed through a square of infantry; the director might be seated in perfect safety in the rear of the engine, and a body of cavalry, about fifty yards in rear, would enter the furrows ploughed by these formidable chariots, and give the coup-de-grace to the unfortunate infantry. The chariots might be armed with scythes, both in front and flank; and, if the first shock were avoided by the men opening their ranks, they might easily be made sufficiently manageable to wheel round and return on any part of the square which stood firm” (118). In the second letter (May 1833), a correspondent identified only as “C.” discussed the “Application of Steam to Engines of War,” advocating the construction of “Chariots of Iron”—“locomotive engines” covered in “proof iron plate” and capable of running “upon ordinary roads”—for use in battle (118).

Joseph Hawker is attributed as being the father of the modern tank when in 1872, Hawker took out a patent for: 'propelling a road locomotive employing endless flat linked pitch or other chains passing round the rims of the main moving wheels.' The details of his patent reveal clearly the influence his idea had on the whole concept of crawler tractors and tanks employing drive and clutch steering.<ref>http://archive.camborneredruthpacket.co.uk/2007/2/16/82965.html</ref> In 1903, the [[Levavasseur project]] describes a caterpillar-based armoured vehicle, and some eight years later, in 1911, two practical tank designs were developed independently by Austrian engineering officer [[Günther Burstyn]] and Australian civil engineer [[Lancelot de Mole]], but all were rejected by governmental administrations.

Burstyn designed his tank with a sprung suspension and armed with a single gun located in a revolving turret&mdash;a design quite similar to modern tanks&mdash;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 name="Hartcup"/>

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 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= Coulthard-Clark | first= Christopher D. | title= Australian Dictionary of Biography, online edition | url= http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080298b.htm | accessdate= 2008-08-26 }}</ref>

===World War I===

{{Main|Tanks in World War I}}

[[Image:Tanks of WWI.ogg|thumb|right|Film clip of tanks in [[Langres]], [[France]], during [[World War I|the First World War]] (1918)]]

[[Image:British Mark V-star Tank.jpg|thumb|left|British World War I [[Mark V tank]]]]

[[Landship]] development, originally conducted by the [[Royal 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, importantly among them the [[Little Willie]], designed by [[Sir William Tritton|William Ashbee Tritton]] and [[Walter Gordon Wilson]], as the first-ever completed tracked tank prototype vehicle, culminating in the [[Mark I tank]] prototype, named ''Mother''.<ref name="Willmott2003"/>

The descriptor "tank" is reputed to have evolved from the construction of the early batches by [[North British Locomotive Company]] in Glasgow. The order was coded as "special tanks", and ironically much of the work was undertaken in the NBLC Tank shops and the name stuck.<ref>McMillan, N: Locomotive Apprentice at the North British Locomotive Company Ltd Glascow Plateway Press 1992</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 IVs]] met three German [[A7V]]s. Though both sides revealed serious flaws, the British prevailed.<ref>http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/whentankfoughttank.htm</ref>

The French pioneered the use of a full 360º rotation [[gun turret|turret]] in a tank for the first time in 1917, with the creation and deployment of the [[Renault FT-17]] light tank, with the turret containing the tank's main armament.

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 ===

{{main|Tanks (1919–1939)}}

[[Image:Hotchkiss H-39.jpg|thumb|French [[Hotchkiss H35#The Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39|Hotchkiss H-39 light tank of 1939]]]]

In the [[History of the tank#Between the wars|interwar period]] tanks underwent further mechanical development. 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 name="Deighton1979"/> 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 mechanised combined arms—such as when [[Second Spanish Republic|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>

=== World War II ===

{{main|Tanks in World War II}}

[[Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-139-1112-17, Russland-Mitte, Heinz Guderian.jpg|thumb|[[Heinz Guderian]], 1941]]

[[World War II]] was the first conflict where armoured vehicles were critical to success on the battlefield and in this period the tank developed rapidly as a [[weapon system]]. It showed how an armoured force was capable of achieving victory in an unprecedentedly short amount of time. At the same time however, the development of effective [[anti-tank]] weaponry demonstrated that the tank was not invulnerable.

Prior to World War II the tactics and strategy of deploying tank forces underwent a revolution. [[Heinz Guderian]], a tactical theoretician who was heavily involved in the formation of the first independent German tank force, 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 Armored Force of the Third Reich'', p.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'. Blitzkrieg made use of innovative [[combined arms]] tactics and radios in all of the tanks to provide a level of tactical flexibility and power that surpassed that of the Allied armour. The [[French Army]], with tanks equal or superior to the German tanks in both quality and quantity, employed a linear defensive strategy in which the armoured cavalry units were made subservient to infantry as "support weapons".<ref name = "Deighton1979">[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk''.</ref> In addition, they lacked radios in many of their tanks and headquarters<ref>[[#Forty2004|Forty (2004)]], p.251.</ref>, which limited their ability to respond to German attacks.

In accordance with blitzkrieg tactics, German tanks bypassed enemy strongpoints and could radio for [[close air support]] to destroy them, or leave them to the infantry. A related development, [[motorized infantry]], allowed some of the troops to keep up with the tanks and create highly mobile combined arms forces.<ref name = "Deighton1979"/> The defeat of a major military power within weeks shocked the rest of the world, resulting in an increased focus on tank and anti-tank weapon development.

The [[North African Campaign]] also provided an important battleground for tanks, as the flat, desolate terrain with relatively few obstacles or urban environments was ideal for conducting mobile armoured warfare. However, this battlefield also showed the importance of [[logistics]], especially in an armoured force, as the principal warring armies, the German [[Afrika Korps]] and the British [[British Eighth Army|Eighth Army]], often outpaced their supply trains in repeated attacks and counter-attacks on each other, resulting in complete stalemate. This situation would not be resolved until 1942, when during the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]], the Afrika Korps, crippled by disruptions in their supply lines, was forced to retreat by a massively-reinforced [[Eighth Army]], the first in a series of defeats that would eventually lead to the surrender of the remaining Axis forces in [[Tunisian Campaign|Tunisia]].

[[Image:T34 2.jpg|thumb|left|Soviet [[T-34]] tank column advancing near [[Leningrad]], 1942]]

The German invasion of the Soviet Union, [[Operation Barbarossa]], started with the Soviets having a superior tank design, the T-34.<ref>[[#Zaloga1997|Zaloga ''et al.'' (1997)]]</ref> A lack of preparations for the [[Axis powers|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, interference from [[Adolf Hitler]],<ref>Stolfi, ''Hitler's'' Panzer''s East''</ref> the geographic scale of the conflict, the dogged resistance of the Soviet combat troops, Soviet manpower and production capability prevented a repeat of the blitzkrieg of [[1940]].<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', p 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 I|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 they had pioneered.<ref name = "House1984">[[#House1984|House (1984)]], ''Toward Combined Arms Warfare:A Survey of 20th-Century Tactics, Doctrine, and Organization''</ref> Soviet developments following the invasion included upgunning the T-34, development of self-propelled anti-tank guns such as the [[SU-152]] and deployment of the [[IS-2]] in the closing stages of the war.

[[Image:Shermans disembarking from LST at Anzio crop.jpg|thumb|Sherman tanks joining the [[U.S. Fifth Army]] forces in the beachhead at [[Anzio]] during the [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]], 1944]]

When entering World War II, America's [[mass production]] capacity enabled her to rapidly construct thousands of relatively cheap M4 Medium tanks. A compromise all round, the Sherman was reliable and formed a large part of the Anglo-American ground forces, but in a tank-versus-tank battle was no match for the Panther or Tiger.<ref>[[#Cawthorne2003|Cawthorne (2003)]], ''Steel Fist: Tank Warfare 1939 - 45'', pp. 211</ref> Numerical and logistical superiority and the successful use of combined arms allowed the Allies to overrun the German forces during the [[Invasion of Normandy|Battle of Normandy]]. Upgunned versions with the [[76 mm gun M1]] and the [[Sherman Firefly|17 pounder]] were introduced to improve the M4'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}}

[[File:T-72 Ajeya1.jpg|thumb|At one time, the Soviet [[T-72]] was the most widely deployed main battle tank across the world<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=Q_jCD6i0iccC&pg=PA3&dq=t-72+tank+soviet&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=WORMSq6gFYnmM7SFtTI&client=firefox-a T-72 Main Battle Tank 1974-93 By Steven J. Zaloga, Michael Jerchel, Stephen Sewell]</ref> and remains in service with the armies of several other countries.]]

During the [[Cold War]], tension between the [[Warsaw Pact]] countries and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ([[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&nbsp;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 [[BGM-71 TOW|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 much of the Cold War. Lessons learned from tanks such as the [[Leopard tank|Leopard 1]], [[M48 Patton|M48 Patton series]], [[Chieftain tank|Chieftain]], and T-72 led to the contemporary [[Leopard 2]], [[M1 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2 tank|Challenger 2]], [[C1 Ariete]], [[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]], [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], [[Soviet war in Afghanistan]] and Arab-Israeli conflicts, culminating with 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.]]

=== Twenty-first century ===

As of 2005, there were 1,100 [[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 name="USAToday2005b"/> Britain deployed its [[Challenger 2]] tanks to support its operations in southern Iraq.

There have been many notable tanks during this time such as Tkar and Utillia, both using the Blud Elv engine build. However, due to the bad damage per second which was caused by the Elorecks model, they never caught on.

==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. Protection is the tank's ability to resist being detected, engaged, and disabled or destroyed. 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 maximise 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. Even in the case of the Abrams MBT which has good firepower, speed and armour, these advantages are counterbalanced by its notably thirsty engine, which ultimately reduces its range and in a larger sense its mobility.

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}}

[[File:105mm tank gun Rifling.jpg|thumb|right|Rifling of a 105 mm [[Royal Ordnance L7]] tank gun.]]

[[File:M1-A1 Abrams Fire.jpg|thumb|right|An [[M1 Abrams]] firing.]]

The [[tank gun|main weapon]] of all modern tanks is a single, large-[[calibre]] 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 [[APFSDS|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 shell|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 [[thermal 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]].

Traditionally, target detection relied on visual identification. This was accomplished from within the tank through [[telescope|telescopic]] [[periscope]]s; occasionally however, tank commanders would open up the hatch to view the outside surroundings, which improved situational awareness but incurred the penalty of vulnerability to sniper fire, especially in jungle and urban conditions. Though several developments in target detection have taken place especially recently, these methods are still common practice.

In some cases [[spotting rifle]]s were used confirm proper trajectory and range to a target. These spotting rifles were mounted co-axially to the main gun, and fired [[tracer]] ammunition ballistically matched to the gun itself. The gunner would track the movement of the tracer round in flight, and upon impact with a hard surface, it would give off a flash and a puff of smoke, after which the main gun was immediately fired. However these have been mostly superseded by [[laser rangefinder|laser rangefinding]] equipment.

Modern tanks also use 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 computerised [[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 smaller calibre 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. These weapons are often modified variants of those used by infantry, and so utilise the same kinds of ammunition.

===Protection===

[[Image:Challenger II.jpg|thumb|right|The British [[Challenger II]] is protected by Dorchester armour: second-generation [[Chobham armour]]]]

{{seealso|Anti-tank warfare}}

The measure of a tank's protection is the combination of its ability to avoid detection, to avoid being hit by enemy fire, its resistance to the effects of enemy fire, and its capacity to sustain damage whilst still completing its objective, or at least protecting 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.

Almost every advanced Main Battle Tank is fitted with the British '[[Chobham Armour]]' design; with two examples being the American '[[M1 Abrams]]' and the German '[[Leopard II]]'. This is the most advanced armour plating available for any tank (with the exception of the British '[[Challenger II]]') and has been proven against a wide array of Rocket Propelled Weaponry and Exlposives.

However, as effective and advanced as armour plating has become, 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====

{{see|Military deception}}

A tank avoids detection using the doctrine of [[Camouflage, Concealment and Deception|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 is 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====

[[File:M4 burning leipzig crop.jpg|thumb|[[M4 Sherman]] tank of 741st Tank Battalion, [[U.S. First Army]], burns in a street in [[Leipzig]], Germany, 1945.]]

[[File:OCPA-2005-03-09-165522.jpg|thumb|right|The [[M1 Abrams#Tank Urban Survival Kit|''TUSK'']] for the [[M1 Abrams]] is intended to improve [[survivability#military survivability|survivability]] in urban environments]]

{{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 tank researchers 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 Active Protection System|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===

The mobility of a tank is described by its battlefield or tactical mobility, its operational 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. Operational mobility is a function of manoeuvre range; but also of size and weight, and the resulting limitations on options for manoeuvre. For example, in a given sector of front, a T-80 equipped tank formation might have many more potential axes for rapid advance than a heavier M-1 Abrams equipped formation, because of the capacity limits of roads and bridges. 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]]. For example, a smaller tank, able to travel through rail tunnels on flatbed rolling stock, might have greater strategic mobility than a larger one.

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 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 turbines]] 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]] incorporates [[Network-centric warfare|networked battlefield]] technology]]

[[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 organisation#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, 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 graphical overlays.

{{seealso|Military communications|C4ISTAR}}

==Research and development==

{{main|Tank research and development}}

[[Image:XM1202 MCS.jpg|thumb|Graphic representation of the cancelled US Army's [[Future Combat Systems manned ground vehicles#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 imagers]], 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 [[Electromagnetism|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> as well as various forms of [[active protection system]]s to prevent incoming projectiles from striking the tank at all.

Mobility may be enhanced in future tanks by the use of [[Diesel-electric transmission|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 m³ 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 motorised 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|WCs]] 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>

# "Tank" was a codename for the vehicle during its development in WW1 to keep it a secret from German spies. The name "Tank", which was a British slang word at the time for a toilet. The name confused those not in on the project but was disliked by the armored corps first commanders.

==See also==

{{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

* [[Armoured car (military)]]

* [[Armoured engineering vehicle]]

* [[Armoured warfare]]

* [[Hobart's Funnies]]

* [[Hull-down]]

{{col-3}}

* [[Infantry fighting vehicle]]

* [[List of armoured fighting vehicles]]

* [[List of main battle tanks by country]]

* [[Skid steer]]

{{col-3}}

* [[Tank classification]]

* [[Tank desant]]

* [[Tankette]]

* [[Unmanned ground vehicle]]

* [[Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux#The First Tank Battle|The first tank battle]]

{{col-end}}

{{portal|Tank|M1A Abrams im Taunus.jpg}}

==Notes==

{{refs|2}}

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==Recommended reading==

{{refbegin|2}}

* {{ Citation

| last = Macksey

| first = Kenneth

| title = Tank Warfare, A History of Tanks in Battle

| year = 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

| year = 1970

| id = ISBN 0345021665; ISBN 0356034615; ISBN 0684136511

}}

* {{ Citation

| last = Ogorkiewicz

| first = Richard M.

| title = Design and Development of Fighting Vehicles

| year = 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

| year = 1970

| publisher = Arms & Armour Press

| id = ISBN 0-85368-049-3

}}

* {{ Citation

| last = Ogorkiewicz

| first = Richard M.

| title = Technology of Tanks

| year = 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

| year = 1975

| id = ISBN 0-88405-130-7; ISBN 0-7153-6909-1

}}

{{refend}}

== External links ==

{{sisterlinks|tank}}

{{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]

{{WWI tanks|style=wide}}

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{{WWII tanks|style=wide}}

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[[Category:Armoured fighting vehicles by type]]

[[Category:English inventions]]

[[Category:Armoured warfare]]

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[[af:Tenk]]

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