Quote:
Originally Posted by RN7
I think the British Challenger 2 may be arguably the best of the lot, and I think certainly is the best protected.
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I tend to agree with you on that.
The milage problem is one all modern tanks face. Weighing in around and average of 50-60 tonnes they're all going to chew through the fuel and from that viewpoint alone, only the wealthier, more developed countries are ever likely to employ them.
As for Australia using tanks, the last time any were deployed outside the country was back during the Vietnam war and we were still using Centurions. That situation is not likely to change any time soon partly due to the logistical issues, but also because there simply isn't any need for them in todays conflict zones. The M113's and LAVs (plus a few other vehicle types) we have used in East Timor, Iraq and Afganistan have, on the whole, been sufficent for the job.
Of course in a WWIII situation this is quite likely to change. If Australian troops were sent to Korea as part of the UN, it's likely some tanks would be sent along in support of the infantry. It is highly doubtful however that they would be involved in a war with Indonesia, at least not outside Australia's mainland borders.