AFVs

An armored fighting vehicle (AFV) is a wheeled or tracked military vehicle protected by armor and designed to participate in direct combat. AFVs are used to project firepower, move troops, and provide protected mobility for infantry, often operating as part of combined arms formations. They range from heavily armed main battle tanks to lighter reconnaissance and support platforms.

Major categories include main battle tanks (MBTs), infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), armored personnel carriers (APCs), armored reconnaissance vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and specialized anti-air or anti-tank vehicles. MBTs emphasize heavy armor and potent main armament for direct engagement. IFVs provide infantry mobility and fire support with autocannons and missiles. APCs focus on troop transport with lighter armament, while self-propelled artillery integrates guns or missiles on a mobile chassis for indirect fire support.

AFVs have evolved through major conflicts, with early armored cars and tanks giving way to more capable, interconnected platforms. Postwar doctrine stressed combined arms, mobility, and modular design, leading to the prevalence of MBTs as the backbone of land forces and the expansion of wheeled AFVs for rapid deployment and reach.

Design considerations include armor type and thickness, protection against projectiles and mines, engine power and suspension for mobility, and firepower from main guns, secondary weapons, and sometimes missiles. Modern AFVs may employ composite or reactive armor, active protection systems, advanced sensors, and networked fire-control systems to improve crew survivability and battlefield effectiveness.

In operation, AFVs work within combined arms teams to conduct breakthroughs, reconnaissance, fire support, and anti-armor tasks, with effectiveness dependent on doctrine, training, and logistics.