Tanks vs. Drones

Is the tank obsolete? As drones and precision strikes transform modern battlefields, some have predicted that armored vehicles may soon meet the fate of the cavalry charge. Today on School of War, Colonel Jose A. Reyes and Lieutenant Colonel David “Cam” Smith of the 1st Cavalry Division make the opposite case. Drawing on their experience operating and commanding tanks, they join Aaron MacLean to explain how armored vehicles are adapting to an increasingly drone-centric battlefield—and why the future of warfare may still belong to the cavalry.

3:18 — Reyes and Smith’s Backgrounds

8:40 — The History of Tanks and Maneuver

11:15 — Is the Tank Obsolete?

12:43 — “The Tank Is Alive and Well”

15:17 — Combined Arms at Every Echelon

20:12 — Transforming Armored Warfare

27:02 — The Battlefield Data Problem

30:01 — Ukrainian Innovation and Battlefield Data

33:25 — Electronic Warfare and FPV Drones

38:13 — Cheap Drones and the Cost of Defense

42:44 — Armor and the Problem of Attrition

43:49 — The Future of Unmanned Armor

46:51 — Unmanned Resupply and Medevac

48:25 — Casualty Evacuation in Ukraine

52:16 — What the Army Needs Next

This episode of School of War is brought to you by Maven Smart System, the builder platform for the American warfighter, fielded across the force and live on the frontline today. Learn more at palantir.com.

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