(no subject)
Oct. 26th, 2023 04:45 pmThere could be a new niche - the Drone Carrier.
Basically a IFV style vehicle except instead of carrying troops it carries drone pilots and facilities for rearming and recharging drones (usually via hot swappable batteries) that it launches and controls.
It's main gun might even be switched out for something optimised for indirect fire, since it will always be accompanied by its own dedicated spotter drones that it can use for Forward Observation. And Infra-red spotter drones will make life difficult for enemy anti tank infantry.
There is also a argument for its main gun being a AA gun for killing enemy drones, as it will be better at identifying which drones are friendly - since most of them will be its own, and it'll have better communication gear so it might be able to IFF others drones easier. For defense it will use its drones to eliminate threats that dont get shelled by the Drone Carrier, either by missile/bomb armed drones or kamikaze drones.
It could also send anti-drone drones to deal with enemy drones, to protect friendly forces on the front lines from FO spotter drones calling in fire, and drones directly attacking. Anti-drone drones will need to be rearmed quickly, as they will be the close air superiority of ground forces in contested airspace.
Already the new Panther Tank concept includes a configuration with a crewmember who can control a drone, and a onboard spotter drone to be launched.
Although a dedicated Drone Carrier might work better on a IFV chassis due to the room for a number of Drones and pilots. Even using the same chassis has logistics and development advantages, and also prevents it from becoming a priority target if it looks like just another IFV.
But no matter what the chassis, it will have the best situational awareness of any armoured vehicle on the battlefield.
250
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nebris
nebris
0 seconds ago
Actually, the Israeli Namer would be perfect for that, an APC build up from an MBT. Plenty of room, but battle tank protection.
Basically a IFV style vehicle except instead of carrying troops it carries drone pilots and facilities for rearming and recharging drones (usually via hot swappable batteries) that it launches and controls.
It's main gun might even be switched out for something optimised for indirect fire, since it will always be accompanied by its own dedicated spotter drones that it can use for Forward Observation. And Infra-red spotter drones will make life difficult for enemy anti tank infantry.
There is also a argument for its main gun being a AA gun for killing enemy drones, as it will be better at identifying which drones are friendly - since most of them will be its own, and it'll have better communication gear so it might be able to IFF others drones easier. For defense it will use its drones to eliminate threats that dont get shelled by the Drone Carrier, either by missile/bomb armed drones or kamikaze drones.
It could also send anti-drone drones to deal with enemy drones, to protect friendly forces on the front lines from FO spotter drones calling in fire, and drones directly attacking. Anti-drone drones will need to be rearmed quickly, as they will be the close air superiority of ground forces in contested airspace.
Already the new Panther Tank concept includes a configuration with a crewmember who can control a drone, and a onboard spotter drone to be launched.
Although a dedicated Drone Carrier might work better on a IFV chassis due to the room for a number of Drones and pilots. Even using the same chassis has logistics and development advantages, and also prevents it from becoming a priority target if it looks like just another IFV.
But no matter what the chassis, it will have the best situational awareness of any armoured vehicle on the battlefield.
250
nebrisnebris0 seconds ago
Actually, the Israeli Namer would be perfect for that, an APC build up from an MBT. Plenty of room, but battle tank protection.