German MBT rounds ineffective against Russian modern armor????

via Tank & AFV Blog.

A recent article in German newspaper Die Welt makes the claim that German tungsten based APFSDS 120mm ammunition is ineffective against the armor of Russian T90 MBTs. The author of the article, Han Ruhle, was the Chief of Policy Planning Staff in the German Department of Defense 1982-1988. He lays the blame for the lack of effective depleted uranium APFSDS round in the German inventory at the feet of German environmentalists and anti-nuclear activists.

Go here to read the entire article.

And so it begins!

I TOLD YOU THAT THE NEW RUSSIAN ARMOR WOULD START AN "AFV" RACE and now you see it!

First the 2nd ACR wants bigger guns, now we hear that German rounds are ineffective against current much less projected Russian armor?  Note that this is what we're hearing in the clear.  What's being said behind closed doors might be even more stark.  Understand that the CIA, DIA, MI-6 and everyother intelligence service in the West is pumping assets to see whatever they can about the new Russian gear as we speak.

I'd bet body parts that tentative assessments have already been made and the bad news has been passed to leadership.

What should you look for?

Expect improvements in the entire anti-tank inventory.  Upgrading main caliber weapons will be a given (I don't think the plan of sticking to a 50 cal for the ACV will work now...they're almost gonna have to bump it up to a 30mm out of the box...at the very least).

Oh.  And talk of shelving the A-10 is about to take another big hit. The USAF was in a rush and now we know why.  You can't retire the ultimate tank killer if tanks are back in vogue.

Sidenote:  I AM NOT ALL OVER THE MAP ON THE STRYKER UPGRADE.  I still believe its the wrong move in the way that they Stryker Brigade concept calls for the vehicles to be used.  In conventional combat against other armored forces you would see a Heavy Tank Brigade take the lead.  That's why I think an armored task force needs to replace the 2nd ACR in Europe...to include attached attack helicopters and dedicated regimental artillery.  That would be a deterrent!  Upgunning the Stryker will allow them to engage enemy armor but would be violating the doctrine that they operate under!  For the USMC its different.  ACVs will be part of the initial landings and push to objective.  The chances of them running into enemy armor and the need for them to be able to defeat that armor is extreme.  I want an APC, but we need an IFV.