>>73306Even with better guidance, we're fucked for it now either way.
The effect has been demonstrated, and Russia will not fall prey to it again.
We've let Russia learn our trap where it doesn't matter, in effect. Where we can neither bleed them dry, nor make effective use to end a war.
Russia will change doctrines, and no longer be vulnerable to such tactics. Just as they did following Afghanistan, frankly.
If a war goes hot between us, the US'd find such equipment useless in the field.
I'm going to say something based off some admittedly flimsy reasoning out of a video game, but I do think it's got some merit given what we've seen:
In Wargame: Red Dragon you play with a lot of these things, and these tactics.
I can tell you, heavy armor doesn't work against entrenched positions at all. Anti armor rockets are too effective. Not just the fancy stuff, either. Killing tanks is easy, and disabling them is nigh effortless.
ATGMs are common, and side plates are soft.
Rear is worse. And all accessible when you've got a solid line.
Armor isn't useless, but it's not the sledgehammer it once was. Heavy armor is a liability more often than not, but still useful as a line. Not as an attacking force much these days though.
Way I see it, we're looking at the rise of light tanks.
Armor enough to stop small arms, and fast enough to stay out of maximum range. And most importantly, cheap enough to be able to shrug off losses.