The US Army is on the eve of a far-reaching renewal (loitering munitions) in how combat vehicles find and engage targets. Where tanks were traditionally limited to what they could see or hit directly with their gun, that may now change. General Dynamics Land Systems and AeroVironment have successfully demonstrated that the Abrams tank and Stryker vehicles can fire loitering munitions without being in the line of fire themselves. This breakthrough was achieved thanks to an innovative launch system called PERCH.
The new system uses Switchblade loitering munitions, small but extremely effective circling munitions that hover over the battlefield like mini-drones and then strike with high precision. During a recent demonstration at Fort Hood in Texas it became clear that tanks can now for the first time attack targets beyond their direct line of sight, without aiming their heavy gun anywhere or giving away their position. That creates an entirely new type of tank warfare.
A tank that sees without looking
The Abrams tank has always been a powerhouse, but it has one big limitation: it has to see targets to take them out. Modern threats such as anti-tank missiles, small drones and artillery make it ever more dangerous to let a tank operate in open terrain. The tank that does not show itself lives longest.
That is exactly where PERCH makes the difference. This system, officially known as Precision Effects and Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed, is a compact launch platform that can fire Switchblade munitions from the tank without the vehicle having to manoeuvre or take risks. The Switchblade takes off, circles over the battlefield and looks for enemy units that are often far out of the crew’s sight. Once the target is identified, the drone dives down and takes out the target with precision.
This turns the Abrams from a direct-fire platform into a hybrid tank-drone system.
Video AeroVironment: the munition tested on the Abrams tank.
Why PERCH is groundbreaking
What is unique about the PERCH system is that it requires no modifications to the vehicle. No welding, no interventions in the armour, no changes to the turret. The whole kit is simply bolted onto existing mounting points. For a tank like the Abrams – used in large numbers worldwide – this means the modernisation can be carried out quickly and cheaply.
During the demonstration at Fort Hood, soldiers were able to operate the Switchblade munitions from inside the vehicle, just like any other weapon system. They tested both the lighter Switchblade 300, mainly suited against infantry and light vehicles, and the larger Switchblade 600, intended to take out armoured targets. Both types responded flawlessly to commands from the tank.
This flexibility is exactly what the modern battlefield demands. As more and more fighting takes place in urban areas or under the threat of drones, the ability to operate from cover is vital.
A new way of fighting
The demonstration took place during the MARS event, a US Army test programme focusing on new technologies for engineer missions and combat support. But the applications of PERCH reach much further than just clearing routes or breaching obstacles.
The soldiers who tested the system stressed that it allows them to locate and destroy enemy positions without having to leave their defensive position. This means Abrams tanks and Stryker vehicles can:
– detect enemies earlier
– reach further than their own armament
– run less risk of counter-attacks
– respond quickly to sudden threats
The last point in particular is important. In recent years loitering munitions have proven to be a powerful weapon against both infantry and armoured vehicles. The fact that they are now being integrated into tanks means the US Army is more than ever able to carry out precision strikes at long range without deploying a full drone unit.
Cooperation with AeroVironment
AeroVironment, the developer of the Switchblade series, sees the integration into the Abrams tank as a logical step. The Switchblade systems are praised worldwide for their reliability and simplicity, and linking them to existing platforms only increases their usability.
According to the companies behind PERCH, this is also a low-risk solution: the technology is already operational, the hardware exists, and no lengthy development process is needed. The concept is almost ready for broad roll-out.
A glimpse of the future
The integration of loitering munitions into tanks shows where modern warfare is heading: vehicles that are not only heavily armed, but also have their own air capability. The Abrams thus becomes no longer just a combat vehicle, but a mobile launch platform for precision weapons that can operate strategically without exposing itself.
