How the tank is evolving to survive the century of the drone

In this special bank holiday episode, we’re taking a break from looking at the US-Iran war and focusing instead on tanks. Since it first appeared on the Somme battlefield, the tank has dominated and defined modern warfare. It has been such a successful concept that its distinctive silhouette - two tracks, a turret and a gun - has barely changed in a hundred years. But can it survive in the century of the drone? Or will the venerable tank go the way of the armoured knight before it? Hamish de Bretton Gordon, a former commander of the Royal Tank Regiment and the author of a new book on the subject, Tank Command, takes Roland Oliphant through the history of armoured warfare. They discuss why the tank has long been the ultimate instrument of battlefield shock action from World War 1 to the Arab-Israeli war to Ukraine today. Hamish argues that in 100 years from now, armies will still be fielding - and fighting against - tanks.Plus, Hamish shares what it’s like to command a Challenger, his ultimate "petrol-head" tank from history, and the definitive Hollywood film every enthusiast needs to watch.Highlights Why the lessons of tank development are still hugely relevant todayWhat it’s like to command a ChallengerCONTRIBUTORS:Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphantHamish de Bretton-Gordon, former tank commander @HamishDBGCONTENT REFERENCED:Hamish de Bretton-Gordon’s new book Tank Command is out June 4: https://linktr.ee/TankCommandProducer: Max BowerExecutive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on [email protected] ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.