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In reply to the discussion: Biden approves sending 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine [View all]Aristus
(66,349 posts)The tank is supposed to be the spearhead of a combined arms strike force, supported by air, artillery, and infantry. It shines best in offensive operations. Now, of course, that's not what Ukraine wants to do; they are fighting defensively. But they can use the new tanks to drive Russia out of the Crimea for starters, and then push the entire invasion force out of Ukraine for good.
One of the reasons Russia's tank force is getting crushed by Ukraine is because the tanks are being used as you pointed out above: mobile artillery and infantry support. The worse thing a tank can be is a rolling pillbox.
When I was a tanker in the Army, we always trained as a rapid strike force leading the way, with infantry bringing up the rear to hold and consolidate the gains earned by the tanks.