The introduction of tanks towards the end of WW1 to breach the entrenched lines heralded the age of mobile fortresses.
The military planners embraced this strategy all nations that wished to be prominent came up with their own versions of tanks.
WW2 came about and tanks were in the forefront of plans devised by generals, both for offensive and defensive strategy.
Air power wasn't quite devastating enough yet to become its own entity, and was used primarily to support large offensives or to destroy industry and infrastructure.
Tanks were at the forefront of grand battles, and the frontlines were pushed forth with armored divisions.
After WW2 with the cold war in full effect, the U.S. and USSR churned out tens of thousands of tanks to stare down each other across the iron curtain.
The Persian Gulf was when the U.S. liberated Kuwait from Iraqi forces, really highlighted the weakness of tanks to attacks from the air.
A-10 warthogs and Apache helicopters destroyed thousands of Iraqi tanks in a matter of days.
But while incredibly effective, aircraft was still expensive and allergic to anti aircraft fire.
Plus all the main powers had manufactured massive armies of tanks. They have been reluctant to declare them obsolete and phase them out.
They will come to an end in the very near future.
The age of the drone is here.
They are so ridiculously cheap and effective, it is not possible to pretend otherwise any longer.
Ukraine and Gaza have turned into research laboratories for military strategists.
Using up large quantities of military surplus that has been laying around, the brass is watching closely what works, what doesn't, and how quickly and cheaply old hardware gets destroyed.
Even at a ratio of needing 100 drones to take out a top tier tank, the cost effectiveness of the drones is many times better than the tanks.
The sun is going down on armor.
What I would expect to see in the next decade or two, will be some form of armored vehicle that acts like an aircraft carrier for drones.
A high tech command pod on wheels/tracks that can launch and control a fleet of drones.
The age of the drone is here.
