Are tanks still useful in the 21st Century? Which tanks would experienced commanders
choose in combat operations today? We can offer three tanks that deserve clear
recognition as the three best tanks on Earth, although will admit, there is room for debate.
The M1 Abrams for sure belongs on this list. It has been almost 20-years since
the American Abrams main battle tank was used in a force-on-force battle during the initial
invasion of Iraq in 2003. It was also deployed in Iraq’s Anbar province in 2004 and 2005,
plus Afghanistan’s Helmand Province in 2010.
We would also offer up the South Korean K2 Black Panther
and the German Leopard as tanks that belong in this list. Here are all of the reasons why:
M1 Abrams
The M1A2 Abrams, with all its upgrades,
has to be considered the best tank compared to the Leopard and the Black Panther.
To be sure, as a U.S.-based publication, we could be biased.
But no other tank has been so battle-tested and
seen as a top-notch force multiplier in combat like the formidable Abrams.
Take a look at the track record. The Abrams performed gallantly in the first Gulf War. During
Operation Desert Storm. 1,848 tanks were deployed to Iraq and only 23 exited the fight. These were
mainly minor damages, none were destroyed by the enemy, and no tankers were killed.
In the second Gulf War, the Abrams led the armored driving force that eliminated Saddam Hussein.
There were unfortunate incidents this time as a Marine Corps Abrams fell off a bridge over
the Euphrates River near Nasiriya and four crew members drowned in 2003. Two American tankers
that year were also killed due to an attack by militants that damaged an Abrams and took it out
of service. Nonetheless, the M1 Abrams performed in battle flawlessly time and time again.
But the Americans learned from combat and improved it.
There has been a major upgrade package for the Abrams every seven years.
Every system in the tank has been replaced since its inception in 1980. The latest M1A2 SEPv3 will
improve the tank’s mobility and survivability with improved armor, communications, and fuel savings.
K2 Black Panther
The South Korean K2 Black Panther is an interesting beast.
The main armament of the K2 Black Panther consists of a German-made Rheinmetall 120-mm/
L55 smoothbore gun produced under license in South Korea.
The gun is fitted with an automatic loader which ensures the loading of projectiles on the move
even when the vehicle moves on uneven surfaces. The 120mm gun can fire about 10 rounds per minute.
With a total supply of 40 various rounds, the Black Panther can rain hellfire
on an enemy position for nearly three minutes before needing resupply.
A total of 16 rounds are stored in the autoloader and 24 rounds are stored inside the hull.
The K2 can fire a wide range of munitions using its main gun including, but not limited to,
an indigenously developed and improved tungsten APFSDS kinetic energy penetrators,
which offer significantly better penetration than the previous generation tungsten rounds,
and multi-purpose HEAT chemical energy rounds similar to the American M830A1
HEAT MP-T that can be used against personnel, unarmored and lightly armored vehicles on the
ground as well as low-flying helicopters. A 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the left side
of the main armament. A 12.7 mm K-6 heavy machine gun is mounted on the top right of the turret.
Visual and Infrared Screening Smoke (VIRSS) grenade launchers mounted on each side at
the front of the turret also complement the defensive layer of the Black Panther.
The K2 Black Panther is equipped with an advanced fire-control system
(FCS) linked to a millimeter band radar system deployed on the frontal arc of the turret,
along with a traditional laser range-finder and crosswind sensor.
The system is capable of a "lock-on" mode, which can acquire and track specific targets up to a
range of 9.8 km using thermal optics. This allows the crew to fire accurately while moving as well
as effectively engage low-flying aircraft. The gunner sight includes Gunner's Primary Sight
(KGPS) and the commander is equipped with Korean Commander's Panoramic Sight (KCPS). The commander
has the ability to override the command to take control of the turret and gun from the gunner.
The K2 Black Panther is fitted with a collective nuclear,
biological, and chemical (NBC) protection system. The ammunition compartment is
equipped with a blow-off panel for protecting the crew against the explosion of ammunition.
An automatic fire suppression system is programmed to detect and put out any internal fires that may
occur, and atmospheric sensors alert the crew if the tank enters a hazardous environment.
The K2 can cross rivers as deep as 5 meters using a snorkel system, which also serves as a conning
tower for the tank commander. The system takes approximately 30 minutes to prepare.
The turret becomes watertight while fording, but the chassis can take in 500 gallons of water to
prevent excessive buoyancy from the air inside the vehicle and keep the tracks planted firmly
on the ground. Furthermore, the tank can enter combat-ready status as soon as it resurfaces.
The German Leopard
The German Leopard 2, the best tank in Europe, has also been upgraded to the
latest 2A7V version with improved protection of its “wedge turret.”
The turbocharged diesel engine has 1,500 horsepower and can totally move
out at a speed of 42-miles per hour with a maximum range of 341 miles.
It fires a powerful armor-piercing sabot round with a thermal imaging sight.
The German military will have 104 of the upgraded tanks deployed by 2023.
Older German Leopard 2A4 Cold War versions had problems in Syria though.
In 2016, the Turkish military fielded the Leopard and ISIS destroyed ten of them with mines,
mortars, or anti-tank missiles. This should give us pause and
place the Leopard in third place due to poor combat performance.
What Does the Future Hold For These Tanks?
Clearly, all three tanks are truly deadly weapons of far
and would be welcomed into any modern army. Nonetheless,
as the modern battlefield is constantly changing, all three tanks face challenges.
For example, the Abrams will have its hands full if there were ever force-on-force conflict with
Russia and China. This would likely combine urban terrain, plus obviously hilly and wooded areas,
and not the flat deserts of the Middle East.
The Black Panther has no combat experience on the Korean peninsula,
but that KSTAM-II smart munition is dynamite. But how would it hold
up against old but numerically superior North Korean tanks in a resumption of the Korean War?
The German Leopard 2 is a mixed bag. It has a great reputation, but ISIS really pulled
a number on the older version. Hopefully, the latest upgrade will raise the bar on performance.