Why Modern Tanks Still Matter: Lessons from the Ukraine War
As military technology evolves at lightning speed, some analysts have been quick to write off the relevance of the main battle tank. But the war in Ukraine tells a different story: modern tanks, properly equipped, remain powerful and indispensable on the battlefield, The Gaze reports, citing The Telegraph.
With drones and electromagnetic warfare reshaping military tactics, many aging tanks—especially Soviet-era models—have fallen victim to cheap aerial threats. However, that doesn’t spell the end of tank warfare. The key difference lies in modernization.
In high-threat environments like Ukraine or Gaza, tanks such as Israel’s Merkava have operated successfully, thanks to Active Defense Systems (ADS), electronic warfare tools, and battlefield drones.
These technologies allow tanks to detect and neutralize incoming missiles, loitering drones, and even enemy jammers. According to defense analysts, modern tanks with onboard jamming capabilities and high electrical power outputs can neutralize drone threats far more effectively than legacy systems.
“A properly equipped modern tank with ADS and jamming gear will still win,” defense experts argue. “Western tanks haven’t failed—they just haven’t been deployed in their most advanced configurations.”
At the heart of this evolution is the electromagnetic spectrum, now considered the new high ground of warfare. Control of signals and jamming capabilities is proving to be as important as firepower.
In Ukraine, fibre-optic drones that bypass jamming and relay tactics using drone “motherships” have added layers of complexity to the battlefield.
However, technology alone isn’t enough. The concept of Mission Command—which emphasizes decentralized decision-making—is proving essential in the fast-moving chaos of modern war. Soldiers need both initiative and trust from commanders to seize opportunities in real time, rather than waiting for orders that might come too late.
Read more on The Gaze: Why Ukraine Needs to Maintain a Large Army After the War