Battlefield experts considering M1 Abrams main battle tank for command and control of unmanned vehicles
WASHINGTON – The up-armored Abrams main battle tank has a lot of new possible missions it could carry out. The tank could soon be operating air and ground drones in the line of enemy fire or sending large robotic vehicles to clear tank ditches and breach obstacles. Kris Osborn at The National Interest reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
15 Feb. 2020 -- The Abrams could use long-range, high-fidelity sensors to maneuver and target enemies in more dispersed formations.
An armored ability to bring massive firepower, unparalleled survivability, and mechanized assault missions still very much characterizes the operational scope of Army tanks. But there are some interesting ways in which technology, networking and unmanned systems are expanding its potential combat applications and therefore multiplying its warfare impact.
Should there be a major force-on-force engagement with a technically advanced rival force, the Abrams appears to be the only major platform capable of the kind of massive, fire-power driven engagement any kind of combined-arms assault or counterattack might require. Yet, its combat utility is rapidly expanding due to upgrades and technologies expected to impact the tactical equation, such as unmanned vehicles command and control.
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
