Quote:
Originally Posted by Legbreaker
It's my belief the only reason there's talk of getting rid of tanks is because there isn't currently a credible threat that APCs and wheeled IFVs can't handle - it's all low level, counter insurgency stuff and peace keeping really.
It's a very big mistake long term to remove the heavy armour capability. Sure, there may be sufficient warning and lead time to obtain the hardware, but the skills and experience using them could well be gone. Without continual training, experimentation and practice, there's going to be some very hard, very bloody lessons to be learnt all over again made even worse by the continuing march of time and technical development.
|
You're right, but if the British government doesn't consider Russia a "current" credible threat, then it's just not paying attention. If Russia rolls into one of the Baltic NATO member states, it's going to be too late for the UK and/or other NATO members who've gotten rid of their MBTs to build new ones.
I can kind of see why countries that only anticipate COIN ops in the future to offload their MBTs, although, as recent experience in Iraq has shown, there are certain jobs that MBTs do better than other options. To completely discount the possibility of war with another great power (one still equipped with thousands of MBTs) seems incredibly short-sighted, naive, and/or defeatist.
I hope the UK doesn't go through with it.