The U.S. Army Wants A New Light Tank

The M551 Sheridan tank firing a Shillelagh missile. (Photo by U.S. Army)

We Are The Might: The Army wants a new light tank to fill gaps on the battlefield

The United States Army is on the hunt for what they call, “Mobile Protected Firepower” — or, to put it in layman’s terms, the Army wants a light tank. For military buffs, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. There’s been a big gap in capabilities since the M551 Sheridan was retired in 1996.

According to a report by the Army Times, the Army is now looking to rectify that gap in capabilities. The M1A2 Abrams tank brings tons of firepower and armored protection, but it can’t be dropped. You need a C-5 or C-17 to bring it to an airfield, and then it has to drive to the battlefield. Not good when you need the firepower right away.

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Update: New in 2018: Army looks to add a light tank to its formations (Army Times)

WNU Editor: I guess the Pentagon planners have concluded that future conflicts will be needing a rapid reaction force where tanks can be dropped near (or at) a conflict zone.