The death of the tank has been repeatedly predicted since the first armoured vehicles rolled into battle at Cambrai in 1916. From their earliest appearance, tanks were criticised as slow, unreliable machines that would soon be rendered obsolete by aircraft or artillery.
Years later, history seemed to support those critics. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Egyptian forces armed with first-generation anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) inflicted severe losses on Israeli armour. Portable missile teams delivered what were termed “K-kills,” immobilising tanks by damaging tracks or engines. The scale of losses led many analysts to declare the tank obsolete again.
More recently, the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war have revived similar predictions. Loitering munitions, armed drones, and advanced top-attack missiles have demonstrated the ability to destroy tanks from distances once considered safe. Footage of burning armoured vehicles has reinforced the belief that the tank era may be ending.
Yet history offers a different lesson. The tank has not disappeared. Instead, it has adapted through innovations such…
This Article is Exclusive to Members
You have read 10% of this premium story. Subscribe to our Annual Plan today to unlock immediate, unlimited access to all exclusive journalism.
