Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles An armoured fighting

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles An armoured fighting vehicle (or armored fighting vehicle; AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Armoured fighting vehicles are classified according to their intended role on the battlefield and characteristics. This classification is not absolute; at different times different countries will classify the same vehicle in different roles. Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicle Tank Light Tank Main Battle Tank Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) Wheeled Vehicle Tracked Vehicle

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Tank The tank is an all terrain AFV designed primarily to engage enemy forces by the use of direct fire in the frontal assault role. Though several configurations have been tried, particularly in the early experimental days of tank development, a standard, mature design configuration has since emerged to a generally accepted pattern. This features a main artillery gun, mounted in a fully rotating turret atop a tracked automotive hull, with various additional machine guns throughout.

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Light Tank Light tank (small, thinly armoured, weakly gunned, but highly mobile tanks intended for the armoured reconnaissance role).

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Main Battle Tank Main Battle tanks have usually been deployed to fulfill the need for a breakthrough tank, though in practice have been more useful in the defensive role than in the attack. Design goals have included attacking obstacles, creating breakthroughs, and engaging enemy armoured formations.

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Infantry fighting Vehicle (IFV) IFVs are designed to transport a section or squad of infantry (generally between five and ten men) and their equipment. They are differentiated from APCs - which are purely transport vehicles, armed only for self defence - because they are designed to give direct fire support to the dismounted infantry and so usually have significantly enhanced armament. IFVs also often have improved armour and firing ports (allowing the infantry to fire personal weapons while mounted).

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Wheeled IFVs can travel great distances on their own without needing to be transported by flat-bed trucks and railway, as required by tracked IFVs.

Types of Armoured Fighting Vehicles Tracked IFVs need to have their treads serviced or replaced on a regular basis. The tracks themselves and the weight of the IFVs tend to be tough on road surfaces, wearing them down more quickly than a wheeled IFV.