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Thursday, October 30, 2025

If Turtle Tanks are the Future

Turtle tanks have appeared on the battlefield. These are tanks with armored and protected superstructures build on top of a tank to protect them from FPV suicide drones, leaving the tank turret able to traverse in a narrow forward arc. This abandons the advantage of a turret that can fire 360 degrees. 

Turtle tanks seem to be able to endure more FPV drone punishment while still carrying out their missions. I don't know how many tanks have been turned into turtle tanks. I assume new means of protecting tanks will be created, with both passive and active kinetic and electronic means so such crude turret and engine compartment caves aren't needed. 

Tanks may need to change how they fight and how they look. I suggested one model based on the M3 Lee tank. That goes part of the way to the assault gun model. If turtle tanks are--even if the massive protective shell looks very different--how tanks will survive, would it make sense to build cheaper and simpler assault guns that incorporate the main gun in the hull to continue to provide mobile, protected firepower on the battlefield? 

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

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NOTE: Photo of Russian "turtle tank" from this article