Which modern MBT is the best?

Tod zu den SD.net Idioten · Post by **Tod zu den SD.net Idioten** » 2002-10-06 06:19pm

There's Abrams', Challangers, Leopards, the latest T-models, Merkavas, etc.

Out of them all, which do you see as the best fighting machine?

Post by **weemadando** » 2002-10-06 06:21pm

Which model of each, what kit do they have, where are they fighting?

For example the Australian Leopard Tanks in the outback will beat nearly anything else (except possibly the newer models of American Abrams) because they have the speed and knowledge of the terrain to out-maneuvre and screw over the opposition.

Move that same battle into another environment and its a different result.

It all comes down to circumstances.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2002-10-06 06:41pm

As, Ando said, it varies.

The American M1A2 SEP has datalinking capability (JTIDS) which makes it quite useful in teams, but other tanks have more advanced armor or a newer main gun.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-10-06 06:48pm

I normally place the M1A2 and Leo2A6 tied at the top, though the M1's IVIS is unmatched. The French had something similar, but it's more limited in capacity.

Challenger II has inferior mobility and the Merkava series is overly specialized and absurdly expensive. The latest T-80U's and T-90S's are competitive when you factor in cost, but one on one are outclassed.

However too much depends on performances to ever really say one is the best. Though I'd give my armed forces the latest M1 model, then up gun it with 140mm and add a countermeasures suit, but no reactive armor.