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I think I was being a bit flippant in saying that tanks are completely done. These are all good examples and relatively recent in the grand scheme of things, but these cases were all before the internet/cheap tech/drones. Big tech changes over the past decade meaning tanks are too slow and vulnerable now.
Literally swarms, 1000's of cheap drones loaded with munitions remotely piloted by teenagers from the other side of the planet. I think that's what warfare will be/nearly is.
Jameo-
but these cases were all before the internet/cheap tech/drones
Yup, true.
Tanks will do OK for a good while longer.
But US military exercises involving an entire air craft carrier fleet showed on multiple occasions that a swarm of fast moving small craft can overcome things.
One of the first links I could find: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/2002-exercise-showed-how-swarm-of-small-craft-could-overwhelm-u-s-ships/
This definitely applies to everything in time, but right now the bigger and slower moving the target the more susceptible to be overwhelmed by a swarm of smaller faster moving things.
When I saw the initial Ukraine invasion news about the traffic jammed convoys I did think that this would not happen in the future... another 10-20 years from now and a sitting duck like that would be overwhelmed by kamikaze drones.
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US marines are trialling swarming drone grenades right now
https://youtu.be/LJ2WxyCEoXk
Velocio
dubtap
Not so... just not fit for every battlefield.
The largest tank battle to ever take place took place within the lifetime of most people on this forum.
In a single night as part of a single large campaign:
The decisive use of tanks turned a possible strong resistance into nothing significant. Iraq wasn't a walk in the park, but nearly everything of significance happened in tank battles lasting 36 hours.
When used well, tanks are the right tool for a job.