Feature: How the face of warfare changed forever a century ago

In September, 1916 the face of modern warfare changed forever when tanks were used for the first time.

It was during the famous Battle of the Somme during World War I when the British, in an effort to break a stalemate, attacked the positions of the German 28th Reserve Infantry Regiment.

Using 32 tanks, the attack took place at Flers-Courcelette and although the results were mixed, it revealed the potentially decisive role of tanks on the modern battlefield.

Ever since, armoured vehicles have been a key part of modern armies around the world.

As experts at Britain's Defense Science and Technical Laboratory (Dstl) said Thursday, the design of tanks over the decades has been evolutionary, not revolutionary.

In the week the age of the tank celebrates its centenary, Dstl experts have posed the question, as new technologies change the face of modern warfare, what does the future hold for tanks? And do tanks have a role on the battlefield of the future?

Dstl, part of Britain's Ministry of Defense say they are now looking at what the future holds not just for tanks but for all armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs).

"Modern technologies mean that future armoured vehicles could be very different from the heavy tracked vehicles in service today," say Dstl.

"For example active protection systems that can destroy incoming weapons fire reduce the need for heavy armour, allowing lighter weight vehicles to be developed," says a report from the laborator just released.

It adds that stealth technologies make vehicles harder to locate, target and destroy, and electric drive systems are smaller, lighter and more efficient than traditional fossil fuel engines.

The use of such innovations could also reduce the vehicle's heat signature making them harder to detect.

New energy storage systems can power lasers and other advanced systems such as electric armour, and materials technologies allow innovative forms of armour to be developed that boast both high levels of protection and low weight.

As for moving around battlefields, advanced suspensions and electric drive systems will enable wheeled vehicles to have similar mobility to tracked vehicles, but travel much faster.

In an age of driverless vehicles, remote controlled unmanned tanks could be used in a range of ways, such as reconnaissance, route proving and force protection.

"Dstl is continuing work to explore the nature and design of future vehicles, including very light, agile and networked vehicles exploiting long range sensors and weapons for survivability," said the MOD.

It adds it is also exploring the provision of maximum protection to the crew, optimising designs for urban operations and the increased use of automation to reduce crew numbers or minimise exposure of the crew to threats.

One view of the future of armoured vehicles comes from new studies looking at light and medium vehicle concepts.

It cites the Land Apache, a lightweight (13 ton) equipped with long range sensors and missiles. It would exploit networking with other platforms and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence gathering and the defeat of threats.

An 22-ton Urban Operations Vehicle would be optimised for operations in urban areas. A 2-ton force protection unmanned vehicle with high mobility capable of reaching speeds of 80 km/h.

"Crew compartments in the first tanks were cramped, uncomfortable, noisy, badly laid-out and poorly ventilated. Today we understand the importance of ensuring that the crew compartment is comfortable and well designed, incorporating cutting edge technology," it said.

Jonathan Lyle, Dstl's chief executive said: "Dstl is working closely with the military to understand their developing requirements to inform the work required to ensure that the coming generations of armoured vehicles meets their expected operational needs."

Britain's current generation of AFVs, the Challenger II Main Battle Tank (MBT) and Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), are due to be phased out of service by the middle of the century.

Although it may seem many years away Dstl' says its work will ensure that the fighting vehicles of tomorrow utilise the latest technologies. Endit