Will we see a rise in MBT alternatives in future armoured warfare?
The Type 100 Light Tank recently unveiled by China. (Photo: Chinese state television)
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of militaries procuring alternative vehicles to the traditional tank. The spread of these vehicles appears to be driven by the ever-increasing cost of MBTs and the changing nature of the modern battlefield.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there has been significant debate on the role of the main battle tank (MBT) in modern warfare. MBT detractors claim that heavy armour has been rendered obsolete by the proliferation of new threats like first-person view (FPV) uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and loitering munitions.
These new threats are exceedingly cheap, while MBTs are increasingly expensive. The Leopard 2A8, recently unveiled by KNDS, costs an estimated US$16 million, while drones like the GA-10FPV-AI, which have been so effective in Ukraine, cost an estimated $850. The MBT’s defenders, meanwhile, maintain that nothing provides the
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