The advent of advanced anti-tank weapons has pushed tanks further away from the front lines—but it would be a mistake to write them off altogether.
Are main battle tanks (MBTs)—the largest, heaviest, and most powerful class of tank, including the M1 Abrams, the Leopard 2, and the T-14 Armata—becoming obsolete?
That was the question I asked my colleague, retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel L. Davis on my podcast. Davis spent his career in armor and proudly participated in the last great tank battle of the twentieth century in Desert Storm. According to Davis, the Ukraine War has fundamentally altered the role of MBTs in modern warfare.
But, Davis asserted, the MBT is not obsolete.
Understanding the Tank’s Real Role in Modern Warfare
For Davis, the tank in attack has changed. Its primary role is now relegated to fire support roles. The Russians, in particular, have used MBTs in this fashion since the second year of the Ukraine War, when NATO-provided drones and anti-tank weapons utilized by the Ukrainians proved to be serious problems for Russian armor on the battlefield.
Drones and anti-tank weapons, but especially drones, have changed the role of the MBT forever. To handle this threat, the Russians have employed their tanks by positioning them in relatively friendly areas of the front, then using them to provide cover through distant fire support—on top of the artillery, drones, rocket support, and other heavy weapons that are part of the Russian arsenal.
This is why the Russians (and Ukrainians) continue using tanks in attack formations today. But their tactics are fundamentally different from how NATO planned to employ MBTs in warfare. As Colonel Davis explained, we will never again see another “Thunder Run” on Baghdad, wherein American armor simply cut through Iraqi armor like butter and took the country in weeks. Those days are over.
Is Russia Bringing the T-95 Back to Life?
Everyone knows about Russia’s T-14 Armata MBT. It is believed to be one of the most advanced MBTs in the world—at least on paper. The tank has not been widely used in the Ukraine War, owing to Russia’s limited supply and the possibility of its destruction in combat.
Before the T-14, however, there was the T-95 MBT. That project was officially canceled in 2008. But recent three-dimensional renderings of the proposed T-95 have leaked online, showing a very potent system—and raising some questions as to whether Moscow might be considering restarting development of this land beast.
Known in Russia as “Object 195,” this 58-ton prototype of a tank is built to what Russian military analysts have described as “extreme parameters.” The proposed T-95 would come equipped with a powerful 152mm main gun—far larger than the conventional 120mm gun found on the M1 Abrams and its equivalents—and an additional 30mm cannon.
Russia’s T-95 was designed to carry a crew of three. The T-95’s crew section would be an isolated, armored capsule located in the forward part of the armored hull, giving additional protection.
A crew of the proposed T-95 MBT will be separated from the fuel tanks and ammunition storage areas. In other words, the Russians are designing their new MBT for maximum survivability. Notably, this is a far cry from how Soviet-era tank designers made their tanks—in which crew survival was typically the last concern, less important in a society where both metal and men were expendable and easily replaceable.
Defence-Blog reports that early specifications of this impressive purportedly abandoned Russian tank would have included the “Drozd-2” active protection system and the “Relikt,” next-generation explosive reactive armor (ERA).
By combining these two advanced defensive systems, Russian military designers intended to counter anti-tank weapons and drones—the very same systems that have plagued the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.
The T-95 Could Change How Modern Tanks Are Built
Given all the changes in tank tactics since the start of the Ukraine War, and the fact that Russian armor has performed best in support roles on the battlefield, with Russia’s defense industrial base continuing to produce in three months what it takes the entire NATO defense industrial base an entire year to produce, is it possible that the Russians might be dusting off the T-95 schematics from 2008 as part of a revitalization effort?
After all, this system would be perfect to perform the kind of distant fire support that has defined Russian armor operations in the Ukraine War. It is well-defended. It’s maneuverable, too. Most importantly, it packs quite a punch. All of which are needed to fight the kind of wars that will increasingly be fought going forward.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Recently, Weichert became the host of The National Security Hour on America Outloud News and iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. Weichert hosts a companion book talk series on Rumble entitled “National Security Talk.” He is also a contributor at Popular Mechanics and has consulted regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, and the Asia Times. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / FotoDax.
