Antivehicle

Antivehicle is a category of weapons, devices, and countermeasures designed to neutralize enemy vehicles by destroying, disabling, or denying them mobility. The term is used across military doctrine and technical literature to describe systems that counter a range of vehicles, from armored ground platforms to aircraft, ships, and unmanned vehicles.

In land warfare, antivehicle capabilities target tanks, armored personnel carriers, and support vehicles through direct-fire weapons such as anti-tank guided missiles, tank or anti-tank guns, artillery, and anti-tank landmines. In air and maritime contexts, antivehicle effects are achieved with air-to-ground munitions, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, and naval gunfire. Antivehicle approaches also extend to counter-drone initiatives and weapons designed to disrupt or destroy smaller, mobile platforms.

Beyond direct weapons, antivehicle strategies include electronic warfare to jam or spoof vehicle control and navigation systems, as well as defensive measures such as active protection systems that intercept incoming projectiles, armor development, and mobility-denial techniques like mines and obstacles. Some concepts integrate sensor fusion, precision targeting, and networked coordination to improve effectiveness against fast-moving or well-protected targets.

The field is shaped by ongoing technological advances, including guided precision munitions, lighter and more versatile interception systems, and increased emphasis on interoperability across air, land, and maritime forces. Considerations in development and deployment include reliability, cost, collateral damage risk, civilian safety, and adherence to international law and rules of engagement.