Could the U.S. Army’s Next Tank Be Equipped With Lasers and Railguns?

By Dave Majumdar,The National Interest

The U.S. Army is currently conducting an analysis of alternatives on what a future family of armored vehicles might look like.

“Are we sort of at that point in history where armored mechanized vehicles are going the way of horse cavalry?” U.S. Army chief of staff Gen. Mark A. Milley told an audience at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

“I don’t think so, but I’m skeptical, so I’m going to continue to ask that.”

This first appeared in July 2017.

The 40-year-old M1 Abrams main battle tank remains a capable tank, but it is starting to show its age. As Milley noted, the long-serving vehicles have been extensively upgraded over the years and bears little resemblance to their original configurations under their skins. Almost everything on the vehicles have been completely revamped.

But the Abrams is likely at the very limits of its capabilities—the service needs a new tank.

“We do need a new ground armored platform for our mechanized infantry and our tanks,” Milley said.