Indian Light Tank Zorawar Breaks Cover

[vkdindian]

Some becomes obsoletes, but look like this weapon is getting more new life under drone warfare, Indonesian Armed Force some how still operate this

The air defence has become more and more complex over the years. Effort was focused on making longer range of faster reaction missiles after detection of a target.

With small drones, this has turned over its head. Cheap drones in swarm can overwhelm such a system. It may be a good idea to go back and deploy small caliber guns with accurate targeting methods to take down cheap drones along with soft kill using radio waves.

Put small guns with low caliber but extremely accurate targeting method to fire cheap rounds and destroy small drones at close ranges.

 

[vikNerv]

The enemy uses swarm tactics. Even a hundred drones against one tank is hugely cost disproportionate. A tank's anti drone systems would be overwhelmed. On a narrow mountain road, this vulnerability gets multiplied exponentially.

You are ignoring one of the most basic caveats of warfare. Sure you have the arrows, how are you going to deliver them? You do realize those 100 drones will need to be delivered to the tank to take it down. They cannot be launched hundreds of miles away and tasked with taking down a tank, that negates the cost effectiveness you mentioned. Will you deliver them closer on the battlefield via a vehicle? Who will protect it? How will it arrive at the battle field? How will it target the tanks and other installations? The answer is - eco system. Multiple systems will need to work together if they are to win a conflict efficiently. Tanks won't just magically become obsolete with just one war. What we are seeing is the effectiveness of drones. And we need to adapt to it, not have a knee jerk reaction. Counter measures and new tactics need to be devised.

 

[vsdoc]

You are ignoring one of the most basic caveats of warfare. Sure you have the arrows, how are you going to deliver them? You do realize those 100 drones will need to be delivered to the tank to take it down. They cannot be launched hundreds of miles away and tasked with taking down a tank, that negates the cost effectiveness you mentioned. Will you deliver them closer on the battlefield via a vehicle? Who will protect it? How will it arrive at the battle field? How will it target the tanks and other installations? The answer is - eco system. Multiple systems will need to work together if they are to win a conflict efficiently. Tanks won't just magically become obsolete with just one war. What we are seeing is the effectiveness of drones. And we need to adapt to it, not have a knee jerk reaction. Counter measures and new tactics need to be devised.

Drones could be stationed remotely, at forward bases. To be activated and controlled from Beijing. Isnt that what the US does with their Reapers etc in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Being flown out of bases in Germany or even California.

 

[vikNerv]

Drones could be stationed remotely, at forward bases. To be activated and controlled from beijing. Isnt that what the US does with their Reaoers etc in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Being flown out of bases in Germany or even California.

That's still not 100s of drones, the ones you are talking about aren't cheap, they cost twice each tank, they carry 6 7 missiles maybe each? And they are just as susceptible to air defence systems as they are effective against tank columns. The counter to drones is anti drone warfare, not abandoning tank warfare. Long range drones can only do so much. And they can be countered.

 

[Lulldapull]

Velayat e Faqih. And on their own. Against the whole western world, and most of the Islamic as well.

@r3alist

Cheers, Doc

Thank god bhai we koo wid dem irani’s and dey giving us cheap putt-roll/ Diesel/ LNG almost give away prices. Sweet ass deals……everybody happy.

Rs 38/ liter at Asaluyeh terminal, by the time it reaches petrol pump in Karachi it’s sold for Rs 300.

Everybody making money…….free enterprise bro……they don’t care……billions bubblin up from da ground.

We just gotta be on guard so irani’s don’t fukkin totally dominate us. They are doing about $5 billion in dhanda now in our country (all outside the USD), all in their favor, for now.

We just gotta market our produce textile and grain to them better.

It could be done, if we get the right gubment.

 

[vsdoc]

That's still not 100s of drones, the ones you are talking about aren't cheap, they cost twice each tank, they carry 6 7 missiles maybe each? And they are just as susceptible to air defence systems as they are effective against tank columns. The counter to drones is anti drone warfare, not abandoning tank warfare. Long range drones can only do so much. And they can be countered.

I think unmanned and cheap/numbers are the two big things here (again seen from the Ukraine Russia theater, in how a smaller adversary closed the odds to superior armour, infantry and artillery. Tanks after WWII have always been sitting ducks. They are too heavy, too visible and too slow on the battlefield. And to top it all, their primary role to be effective is as a battering ram and a shield right at the tip of the spear. After the standard mines and trenches and barrier methods were done. First there were attack helicopters and planes. Then shoulder launched munitions from mobile foot soldiers in ambush. Now similar unmanned soldiers dropping out of the sky.

 

[vsdoc]

Thank god bhai we koo wid dem irani’s and dey giving us cheap putt-roll/ Diesel/ LNG almost give away prices. Sweet ass deals……everybody happy.

Rs 38/ liter at Asaluyeh terminal, by the time it reaches petrol pump in Karachi it’s sold for Rs 300.

Everybody making money…….free enterprise bro……they don’t care……billions bubblin up from da ground.

We just gotta be on guard so irani’s don’t fukkin totally dominate us. They are doing about $5 billion in dhanda now in our country (all outside the USD), all in their favor, for now.

We just gotta market our produce textile and grain to them better.

It could be done, if we get the right gubment.

I don't think the Iranis traditionally historically have ever been interested in your country beyond the Indus. Till that point, I dont think you have a say. They will always be there, pulling the strings. The outposts of their empire.

Another thing the Ukraine Russia war has made glaringly evident is that you can NOT put down and sanction a country that has resources the world needs and wants.

And that when the shit hits the fan, you MUST have your own BLOOD and TREASURE to deploy, and you MUST be able to make your own weaponry to fight with. Even if its just catapults and stones to fling at the enemy. Thats more than a shiny western fighter jet or missile system or gun that never gets to you. In numbers. Or in time. To sustain your war effort.

 

[Harbyharb]

Another example of making a tracked assault gun and calling it a tank. I'll admit that seeing the idea that tanks aside from mobile fire support are also supposed to be breakthrough weapons that need to contest anti-tank weaponry within reason, seemingly blew over the head of most designers, frustrates me a little.
I do like the FLIR that comes with the Cockrell turret complex though.

 

[vikNerv]

I think unmanned and cheap/numbers are the two big things here (again seen from the Ukraine Russia theater, in how a smaller adversary closed the odds to superior armour, infantry and artillery. Tanks after WWII have always been sitting ducks. They are too heavy, too visible and too slow on the battlefield. And to top it all, their primary role to be effective is as a battering ram and a shield right at the tip of the spear. After the standard mines and trenches and barrier methods were done. First there were attack helicopters and planes. Then shoulder launched munitions from nobile foot soldiers in ambush. Now similar unmanned soldiers dropping out of the sky.

And yet, despite all of the above, tanks have stayed relevant in warfare. They are the best way to deliver an artillery punch quickly and efficiently. And punch a hole in the defences for the infantry to take over. I will say thus again, tanks are still relevant, the battlefield tactics and ecosystems need to be adapted.

Drones can take down anything if they aren't countered.

 

[hellfire200604]

That is my doubt too. I think that tanks had their time. That time started with WWs and ended with Russia- Ukraine conflict.
Drones seem to have completely turned tanks into a vulnerable piece of expensive tech with not much of usage.

How is one going to defend such tanks against very small drones, that can’t be shot down by AD systems?

Can tanks contribute to a war effort or become a liability?

Look at footage of tanks being destroyed by cheap drones and I wonder, how can they turned this around and once again prove their worth?

It may be a good idea to convert Tank regiments into drone regiments with much higher versatility and results in a war. May not happen now because of our love of tanks and the perceived power they have, but, their time may have ended.

Few trolls are calling Zorawar ugly. How does one define a good looking tank vs an ugly one. All the tanks have very similar exterior features. Please ignore such trolls.

Tanks have no substitute when it comes to projecting the spearhead of a formation. what you said is exactly what people said when ATGMs came into the picture. But as anti tank measures evolve so does their defense mechanisms

 

[vsdoc]

And yet, despite all of the above, tanks have stayed relevant in warfare. They are the best way to deliver an artillery punch quickly and efficiently. And punch a hole in the defences for the infantry to take over. I will say thus again, tanks are still relevant, the battlefield tactics and ecosystems need to be adapted.

Drones can take down anything if they aren't countered.

I am not in disagreement with you fundamentally.

See the point @Harbyharb makes above your post.

That is essentially what you are talking about.

I am talking about the system's innate vulnerability and survival to be able to do its job.

 

[Liquidator]

Hopefully 50 will be fielded by 2069

 

[Pataliputra]

M

The air defence has become more and more complex over the years. Effort was focused on making longer range of faster reaction missiles after detection of a target.

With small drones, this has turned over its head. Cheap drones in swarm can overwhelm such a system. It may be a good idea to go back and deploy small caliber guns with accurate targeting methods to take down cheap drones along with soft kill using radio waves.

Put small guns with low caliber but extremely accurate targeting method to fire cheap rounds and destroy small drones at close ranges.

A fighter jet can destroy a drone with impunity using its gun. A drone is powerless against a fighter jet, but the jet can easily shoot down any number of drones with its gun.

 

[r3alist]

I don't think the Iranis traditionally historically have ever been interested in your country beyond the Indus. Till that point, I dont think you have a say. They will always be there, pulling the strings. The outposts of their empire.

Another thing the Ukraine Russia war has made glaringly evident is that you can NOT put down and sanction a country that has resources the world needs and wants.

And that when the shit hits the fan, you MUST have your own BLOOD and TREASURE to deploy, and you MUST be able to make your own weaponry to fight with. Even if its just catapults and stones to fling at the enemy. Thats more than a shiny western fighter jet or missile system or gun that never gets to you. In numbers. Or in time. To sustain your war effort.

But let's note it's all assymetric capabilities, low cost, low tech.

Having an indigenous capability to fight a blow for blow conventional fight only Russia,us and China can do.

But I feel Iranians are most capable of getting there at some point

 

[MirageBlue]

"Zorawar" is a Sanskrit name and was the name of a Hindu Dogra king who ruled over Kashmir. Maharaja Hari Singh, who ruled Kashmir until 1947, was also a Dogra. It's somewhat surprising that, although Kashmir has been predominantly Muslim for a very long time (90% Muslim), the rulers were always Hindu Dogras. Interestingly, Kashmir is the only state in India where there is a complete ban on beef even today.

Zorawar Singh is the Dogra general who was also called the "Conqueror of Ladakh". He served for the Dogra king, Gulab Singh. Zorawar Singh captured Ladakh, some parts of Tibet, Gilgit, Baltistan and Skardu for the Dogras.

Zorawar Singh- Wiki

The tank is named after him, since it has been designed primarily for fighting in high altitude areas with it's 25 ton + 10% max weight and high angle of elevation 105 mm main gun.