"This Crazy Ad for an Israeli Future Tank Is Something Else" Topic

"This is the most convincing video yet on how buzzword technologies could actually become useful for 21st century armor troopers.

This hype video is a rare blend of funny and fascinating. And it might just show us the future of armored warfare.

Behold Israeli defense contractor Rafael's new promo for the company's Advanced Suite for Armored Fighting Vehicles. The clip is a vision of how automation, sensors, new self-defense technologies, and giant screens could revolutionize the way soldiers fight from armored vehicles…."

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Amicalement
Armand

whew. It almost looks like the Hammer's Slammers blower tanks are almost here (minus the hovering bit).

…well, I can't see anything going wrong with a highly complicated computer system in combat conditions in a vehicle crewed by only two people.

And speaking of small crews, perhaps the lessons learned the hard way about the perils of two-person tanks during the early days of WW2 by the French and others has been forgotten? Even without sensors beeping at you automated this and that, 2-man tank crews found themselves overwhelmed by how much they needed to do, how they were unable to maintain situational awareness give the multitasking they needed to do, etc. And there's no crew redundancy – if one person is stunned, injured or panics, the vehicle is out of action immediately.

Would it be better to have giant screens like windows or VR goggles? Or maybe VR goggles as a back-up in case the screens get damaged?

Of course, why put soldiers into the AFV at all? As long as they have reliable communications with the AFV, they can be sitting in an air-conditioned office somewhere far from the action.

Good point.

Amicalement
Armand

Is that tank simulator available on the PC, or just the PS4 ;)

Of course, why put soldiers into the AFV at all? As long as they have reliable communications with the AFV, they can be sitting in an air-conditioned office somewhere far from the action.

That is a very big 'if', Oberlindes.

Not to mention it allows the enemy to positively locate both the tanks and the command post. Though I suspect that the Army is going to learn about EMCON the hard way.

One major downside to the reduced crew is that it's hard to do all the maintenance on the tank with only two bodies. The US even found that with the 3-man crew in the M8 Armored Gun System, it was hard to do all the maintenance.

The computer and sensors should be able to provide situational awareness, if significantly sophisticated, much like in modern jet fighters.

One to drive, and one to control the weapons sounds like it'll work to me, assuming an automated self-defense system, or AI with human control, as needed.

Three people might be better.

Perhaps they're so lethal that they can rotate back to a supply/repair/rest depot, as needed, and/or when desired.

@Lion in the Stars: Suppose laser or maser based communications devices which can't be jammed or triangulated, and a communications grid that connects AFVs, flying communications drones, crewed communications aircraft, satellites, and AFV drivers back in Nebraska. Best countermeasure would be EMP, I suppose.