How will Armour Fight in The Future; Insights from Colonel Armin Dirks

Predicting the future of armoured warfare is incredibly complicated. Despite what we know today, questions were raised about the first tank's suitability on the modern battlefield in the 1900s. Today, the war in Ukraine highlighted the tank's vulnerabilities, putting it in the firing line of heated opinions once again. Despite the challenge, predictions are necessary as they are a central part of planning. To help gain insight into answering the question, “How will we fight in the future?” we had the privilege of receiving the views of the German Bundeswehr, Head of Operations of the Combined Project Team of Main Ground Combat System. In this interview, Colonel Armin Dirks answers:

• What are some of the everlasting challenges versus new challenges that forces face?
• Considering the trends we have seen on recent battlefields, are there any calls to rethink aspects of modern armoured warfare rather than simply evolving the thought behind it?
• Modern thought on armoured vehicle requirements has shifted from the “Iron Triangle” (Protection, Firepower, and Mobility) to the “Steel Hexagon” (Lethality, Autonomy, Adaptability, Connectivity, Survivability, and Mobility). What are your thoughts on the implications of this for capabilities?

Join Colonel Armin Dirks at IAVC 2025:

FUTURE LAND COMBAT SYSTEMS: ENABLERS FOR THE IRON TRIANGLE AS PREREQUISITES

FOR SPEED, PRECISION, AND EFFECTIVENESS ON 21ST CENTURY BATTLEFIELDS

• Interdependency between weight reduction and manoeuvrability, survivability & sustainability
• Ensuring precision hits after overcoming advanced protection systems as a prerequisite for first-hit platform kills
• Highly automated, AI-supported and network-based sensor-to-shooter chains for accelerated processes aboard platforms and on formation levels