Is the tank dead? … or is it still the core of Army’s combined-arms fighting system?

The quote below is from a serving member of 1st Armoured Regiment…

“Due to the sheer number of drones in flight, both sides are under almost constant observation, therefore it is almost impossible to force concentrate for large-scale offensive operations.  As such, a large, highly trained, expensive armoured battlegroup can be made ineffective by a disproportionately small group of individuals using comparatively very cheap equipment.”

For this person, it’s easy to understand their mind set when they opted to continue to serve with 1 Armd Regt (rather than transfer to stay with tanks at 2 Cav Regt).  It’s just so disappointing that those involved didn’t realise just how much they were being manipulated. 

That aside – have drones come to rule the battlefield?  The answer is a very big NO.

Small arms rounds (5.56mm and above) have been developed which, when fired, break up into small pieces, providing a screen of shrapnel capable of knocking down a drone. Simply changing magazines, gives infantry an omni-present ability to destroy drones and protect themselves from the threat.  The ammunition is also produced for larger calibre weapons, giving all AFVs an anti-drone capability.  But this is just one small part of the wider arsenal of anti-drone defence systems.

By stripping the tanks from 1 Armd Regt, the Chief of Army and his generals have shown what they’re made of.  Is this called cowardice?  [lack of bravery that prevents someone taking a risk.]  They have given in to the ‘tank is dead’ mantra even before the hysteria of drone warfare has had a chance to make an impact.  Maybe it’s too strong a word and ‘fearful’ would be more appropriate.

The positive side for the generals is that it allows the strength of the RAAC to be reduced by a tank squadron, a cavalry squadron and a battle-group headquarters.  Definite savings in operating costs!  

But at what cost in terms of defence readiness?  Technological developments and their associated counter-measures are a normal part of the ebb and flow of military affairs.  A new weapon system is brought into service and the chase immediately begins to develop an effective counter to it.  So-called ‘drone warfare’ is a manifestation of this.  

The normal response would be to focus on ways of countering the threat, i.e. drones make AFV concealment almost impossible, what can be done to mitigate this?  

How much more productivity would have been gained if, instead of the tanks being stripped from 1 Armd Regt, the unit had been able to focus on developing new methods of camouflage, both by day and night (in conjunction with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation).  

So – we now have a workable counter-measure to drones, but we no longer have a tank regiment.  Instead, we have a combined tank and cavalry regiment, sharing incompatible dual roles. How obscene is this?  Defence senior leadership has simply gone missing-in-action!

What else has to be sacrificed on the altar of AUKUS submarine savings?  A lot by the sounds of it.  Who would have thought, for example, that 178-year-old Victoria Barracks in Sydney (where I lived throughout my secondary school years) would be part of the fire sale?

Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)

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