[13]Israeli Merkava Mk4 tank 
   for other troops with their M1 Abrams main battle tank in Biaj, Iraq. 
   tank in Biaj, [20]Iraq.
   A tank is a [21]tracked armoured [22]combat vehicle designed to engage
   [90]British World War I Mark IV tank with experimental "Tadpole Tail" 
   British World War I Mark IV tank with experimental "Tadpole Tail"
   provide all tank personnel, and were considered "landships". The First
   The first tank to engage in battle was D1, a British [100]Mark I,
   of which only 15 were built.^[117][6] The first tank versus tank
   only to be developed fully in [129]WWII, and while the tank would
   With the tank concept now established, several nations designed and
   (limited) funding earmarked for tank development. Even [141]George S.
   Patton, with tank experience during WWI, transferred from Armor to
   tank corps).
   of the British tank formations, and was adopted by the Germans as a
   support role. Vulnerability to tank and anti-tank fire led to a rapid
   up-armouring and up-gunning of almost all tank designs. Tank shape,
   [155]World War II saw a series of advances in tank design. Germany,
   I light tank had a crew of 2 with two 7.92 mm machine guns. The
   was the main German battle tank of World War 2. It was initially
   German tank produced throughout the war. Early in the war they fared
   this not only limits the speed at which the tank can travel, but also
   Tank chassis were adapted to a wide range of military jobs, including
   of the war, while American and British tank destroyers were scarcely
   order to engage armoured targets, the tank needed a single, powerful
   [180]A Polish tank company equipped with T-55 tanks. 
   A Polish tank company equipped with [181]T-55 tanks.
   [182]Serbian M-84AB1 tank, modernization of Yugoslav M-84 tank in
   Serbian M-84AB1 tank, modernization of Yugoslav [183]M-84 tank in
   After WWII, tank development proceeded largely as it had before, with
   practical light tank almost impossible to build, and this class
   almost every Western post-war tank design^[[184]citation needed]-
   A highly successful post-war tank was the Soviet [189]T-54, which
   direct evolution of Russian tank design principles, improving on its
   Another new tank was the British [190]Centurion. Centurion marks built
   tank entirely, becoming what the British referred to as the Universal
   Tank, soon to be known as the [196]main battle tank (MBT) in most
   Firepower is the ability of a tank to identify, engage, and destroy a
   strategic mobility, the ability of the tank to be transported by road,
   Tank design is traditionally held to be a compromise between these
   [213]A US Medium Tank M4A3E8 tank fires from a prepared position
   A US [214]Medium Tank M4A3E8 tank fires from a prepared position
   A tank crew must be able to quickly identify, engage, and destroy many
   The main weapon of any modern tank is a single large [216]gun. Tank
   Modern tank guns are generally fitted with thermal jackets which
   rain on a tank barrel, the top would cool faster than the bottom, or a
   effective combat range of the tank beyond the range afforded by
   It also provides the tank with a useful weapon against slow,
   [268]An M1 Abrams tank on lookout. Heat haze from the turbine engine
   An [269]M1 Abrams tank on lookout. Heat haze from the turbine engine
   conceal a tank. In both cases, once a tank starts its engine or begins
   signature and noise generated by its engine. The tank tracks across
   A recently-stopped stationary tank has a considerable heat signature.
   Indeed even if the tank itself is hidden, for example behind a hill,
   it is still possible for a skilled operator to detect the tank from
   rumble of even a single tank can be heard a great distance on a quiet
   tank stands still with engine running the land trembles around it.
   The very large power output of modern tank engines (typically in
   signature. The unusually compact mass of metal of the tank hull
   objects in the countryside. A moving tank is thus relatively easy to
   Getting a tank to move proved to be important in the [280]Kosovo
   had few tank losses on its side, while the KLA suffered heavy infantry
   [286]Abandoning a disabled M-3 tank in training. 
   Abandoning a disabled M-3 tank in training.
   The main battle tank is the most heavily armoured vehicle in modern
   Before the Second World War, several tank designers tried [294]sloped
   armour on new tank designs. The most famous and successful example of
   anti-tank weapons however can immobilise a tank by damaging its
   dangerous [304]spalling of material inside the tank when the charge
   The Israeli [312]Merkava takes tank design for crew protection to an
   anti-tank missiles which require the operator to keep the tank in
   tank is "painted" by a laser range-finder or designator.
   warning if the tank is targeted by radar systems that are commonly
   [329]An Australian Sentinel tank during trials in 1942. Note the
   An Australian [330]Sentinel tank during trials in 1942. Note the
   Paradoxically, a tank is usually in its safest state when the
   immobilise or slow down the tank. Also, the tank itself is less
   tank advances in hostile territory with hatches closed, the commander
   and the crew might be personally safer, but the tank as a whole is
   Mobility of a tank is categorised as battlefield mobility, tactical
   so on. This is what tankers and tank designers call 'agility'. The
   second is the ability of the tank to be readily transported within a
   A main battle tank is designed to be highly mobile and able to tackle
   [344]boulders. In "normal" terrain, a tank can be expected to travel
   single tank offers better [346]off-road performance than any wheeled
   fighting vehicle. On the road the fastest tank design is not much
   the huge weight of the tank combined with the relative weakness of the
   track assembly makes the maximum road speed of a tank really a burst
   Since an immobilised tank is an easy target for mortars,
   wishing to slow a tank advance.
   [354]ambushes, the average speed of advance of a tank unit in a day is
   Another mobility issue is getting the tank to the theatre of
   This type of fording requires careful preparation of the tank and the
   [369]Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) amphibious tank with waterproof float
   Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) amphibious tank with waterproof float
   17 ton light tank was built with an aluminium hull, steel turret and
   with the old heavy, medium, and light tank classifications prior to
   the Vietnam War, and had adopted the Main Battle Tank (MBT) system,
   over the bow of the tank and thus reducing the risk of the vehicle
   In World War II the [376]M4 Medium tank (named Sherman by the British)
   The tank's power-plant supplies power for moving the tank and for
   other tank systems, such as rotating the turret or electrical power
   and mobile the tank is, but the terrain effectively limits the maximum
   Modern tank engines are in some cases multi-fuel engines, which can
   output. On the other hand, the acoustic signature of a tank with a
   Commanding and coordinating a tank organisation in the field has
   commander. In some early tanks, the tank commander's task was severely
   century, the tank commander would relay movement orders to the driver
   In the earliest tank operations, communications between the members of
   radio chatter. A modern tank is usually equipped with radio equipment
   Most armoured forces operate with the tank commander, and possibly
   battlefield, the tank is vulnerable. In fact, the tank's basic
   which may inhibit tank operations. In addition, design features may
   Current research involves making the tank invisible to radar by
     * Macksey, Ken. Tank Warfare.
     * [523]The Armored Tank turns 90 @ gizmag.com Also shows a tank