Types of Armored Fighting Vehicles

Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) Are just what they sound like. Ground-based armored vehicles designed to take part in and survive combat situations. Here are the standard types of AFVs, and what sets them all apart.

Tanks
Tanks are the most well known type of armored vehicle, and one of the most powerful. Most tanks have tracks, a powerful main cannon (or in some cases, multiple cannons) mounted on a rotating turret, armor to protect the crew and internal components from incoming fire and flying debris, and are designed to fulfill a multitude of tasks that very few other military units can complete

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The main purpose of the tank has evolved ever since it's first appearance on the battlefield of World War I. The first tanks were designed around the trench warfare of World War I, They were intended to cross large open grounds and enemy trenches while protecting the crew inside from enemy gunfire. Later tanks, particularly in World War II, were designed to support the infantry in general combat situations, and later in the war, tanks were designed to fight other tanks.

Modern tanks are versatile machines, mobile enough to outflank and surround the enemy, armed heavily enough to deal with almost any ground target, protected against a plethora of weapons and hostile conditions, and can perform a wide variety of tasks from breaking through enemy lines, to providing fire support, to deterring an enemy advance.

Throughout history, there have been many types of tanks, designed for different roles:
 * Light Tanks - With less armor than other types, generally lighter and more maneuverable.
 * Amphibious Light Tanks - Light tanks with the ability to stay afloat and move in water
 * Medium Tanks - A good mix of firepower, mobility, and armor.
 * Heavy Tanks - Generally armored heavier than a medium tank, with good armament but poor mobility.
 * Super-Heavy Tanks - Some tanks were created with incredibly thick armor and were heavier than most heavy tanks. These were sometimes classified as 'Super-Heavy Tanks'
 * Main Battle Tanks - Versatile vehicles designed to be the backbone of ground forces.
 * Flamethrower Tanks - Tanks armed with flamethrowers

Tank Destroyers
Tank Destroyers appeared in World War II, designed around the sole purpose of destroying enemy tanks. Tank Destroyers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are tracked, some are wheeled. Some have turrets, some have the gun mounted to the hull instead. Tank destroyers differ from tanks in their role on the battlefield, and their general lack of anti-infantry capabilities compared to tanks. Tank destroyers from World War II tended to carry higher-powered weaponry than tanks of the same era, especially tank destroyers with hull-mounted cannons.

Today, however, tank destroyers offer less in the

way of firepower advantage, are often wheeled vehicles with turrets, and focus on mobility and stealth enhancements. Modern tank destroyers may often be armed with guided missile systems instead of main cannons.

Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs)
Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) are vehicles designed to carry infantry into battle, protect them, and to provide general fire support. They tend to have characteristics similar to light tanks, but they tend to have large passenger co

mpartments for transporting infantry. IFVs today can fulfill reconnaissance roles as well.

IFVs are similar to APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers), in that they both are designed to carry infantry into battle, but differ in that IFVs are generally better armed and better armored. IFVs also appeared much later in history than APCs did.

Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs)
Armored Personnel Carriers are designed to carry infantry cross-country or into battle, much like IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles). APCs tend to share characteristics with IFVs and Light Tanks, but they sacrifice firepower for large passenger capacity and low cost.

What sets APCs apart from IFVs is the weaponry they carry. IFVs tend to carry cannons, while APCs tend to only carry machine guns, if any weaponry at all. APCs also tend to have less armor than IFVs, and are more vulnerable to anti-tank weapons.

Self-Propelled Guns (SPGs)
Self-Propelled Guns are vehicles built to provide an artillery system with more mobility. SPGs are designed to deliver long range fire to distant targets and relocate quickly when needed.

SPGs carry a variety of weapon systems, from field guns, to howitzers, to mortars. SPGs can be simply trucks with gun systems, or a fully tracked vehicle with a rotating turret housing for the gun.

Some Tank Destroyers can be considered as a special type of SPG armed with anti-tank cannons instead of howitzers or field guns.

Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft (SPAA)
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft vehicles are designed to combat aerial vehicles, using small-caliber cannons or missile launchers, while retaining the mobility of an armored fighting vehicle. SPAAs are often created by putting an anti-aircraft weapon system on an existing chassis, such as one from a tank or another type of vehicle.

SPAA Vehicles armed with cannons often have more than one cannon. This increases the density of fire and increases the chance of a successful hit on target.

SPAA has evolved drastically over the years as airplane and helicopter technology has advanced. SPAA today more often targets helicopters, while SPAA in world war II focused on enemy planes.

Armored Cars
Armored cars are one of the earliest types of armored fighting vehicles. They were initially created by taking an existing model of automobile and giving it armor and weaponry, and in some cases a more powerful engine. Later, armored cars were designed from scratch. Armored cars can be thought of as light tanks on wheels, the only other common wheeled fighting vehicle being wheeled tank destroyers.

Armored Cars are often only armed with machine guns and/or small cannons, and their armor is often only thick enough to deter small arms fire. The main advantage to armored cars is the reduced cost of manufacturing, and the fact that existing car factories could be used to construct them.