The Infantry/Tank Partnership: Forgotten Until Needed

Perhaps the CA has forgotten what he was taught back in 1990 before he graduated.

As the CI Military Training at RMC in 1990, I am personally aware that the concept of armour and infantry cooperation was stressed, and the armour spoken about was ‘tanks’.

The CA may be forgiven for not having remembered the need, emphasised back in 1990, for constant combined-arms training, and the overwhelming power of infantry and tanks, in unison, when engaging the enemy.

The CA’s lack of empathy with this need could be explained by the fact that he has never been in combat, where he had the need, or perhaps opportunity, to engage the enemy in unison with tanks.

The infantry/tank long-heralded philosophy may be nothing more than words to the CA.

Indeed, if it were more than words, the stripping of the RAINF’s right arm, 1AR as a combat unit, would not have entered the CA’s mind.

Lieutenant Colonel J D Muir RAAC (retd)

 

FILE PHOTO (November 2017): Soldiers from 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, watch on as an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank fires in support during Exercise Diamond Run 2017. Photo by Captain Anna-Lise Brink.

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