**Modern Tanks Can Survive and Dominate on Today’s Battlefield**
Thousands of tanks have been destroyed by drones in Ukraine, but British military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon argues that the tank is not obsolete – just outdated. Writing in The Telegraph, he makes a strong case for next-generation tanks equipped with electronic jammers and Active Defence Systems (ADS) to survive and dominate on today’s drone-filled battlefield.
De Bretton-Gordon points out that Israel’s Merkava tanks remain effective even under drone threat, citing their ability to operate in the electromagnetic spectrum. He notes that victory often comes down to electronic dominance – controlling the electromagnetic spectrum can decide who controls the skies. “He who controls this, controls the battle space and will win the war,” he writes.
**The Importance of Electronic Warfare**
Ukraine has shown how to fight in this space, using tools like Starlink and high-flying relay drones to outmaneuver Russian jamming. Some drones even use fibre-optic cables – an old but effective way to stay connected when signals fail. De Bretton-Gordon notes that “old-fashioned methods are overcoming the latest and most brilliant electronic-warfare systems.”
**Britain’s Readiness for Drone Warfare**
However, Britain is almost totally unequipped for this kind of warfare. With the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) due next week, de Bretton-Gordon warns that urgent action is needed to be able to operate on a drone battlefield without being cut to pieces. He attributes the SDR’s delay to the sheer pace of change, highlighting how quickly military tech becomes outdated.
**Strong Leadership and Adaptability**
Technology aside, strong field leadership remains essential. De Bretton-Gordon calls for renewed focus on Mission Command – the British Army’s tradition of empowering junior officers to act quickly without waiting for top-down orders. “A commander who waits to hear back… when an opportunity appears… is not a real officer at all,” he writes.
**The Fundamentals of War Remain the Same**
For all the talk of drones and AI, war still comes down to fundamentals – adaptability, decision-making, and force protection. De Bretton-Gordon notes that “the principles of war have not changed… some of the new generation will dominate the electronic battlespace.” And yes – they may still ride to war in tanks.
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