Thousands of tanks have been destroyed by drones in Ukraine, but British military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon argues the tank is not obsolete—just outdated.
Writing in The Telegraph, the former commander of the UK’s Joint CBRN Regiment and NATO’s Rapid Reaction CBRN Battalion argues that next-gen tanks equipped with electronic jammers and Active Defence Systems (ADS) can survive and dominate on today’s drone-filled battlefield.
“A properly equipped modern tank... will survive and win,” he writes, pointing to Israel’s Merkava tanks, which remain effective even under drone threat.
The tanks being destroyed in Ukraine, he notes, are mostly outdated Soviet models. Western forces must not assume the same fate for modern, tech-integrated armour.
War for the airwaves
Victory today often comes down to electronic dominance. Controlling the electromagnetic spectrum—jamming enemy signals while maintaining your own—can decide who controls the skies.
“He who controls this, controls the battle space and will win the war.”
Ukraine has shown how to fight in this space, using tools like Starlink and high-flying relay drones to outmaneuver Russian jamming. Some drones even use fibre-optic cables—an old but effective way to stay connected when signals fail.
“Old-fashioned methods are overcoming the latest and most brilliant electronic-warfare systems,” de Bretton-Gordon notes.
UK forces lag behind
Britain, he warns, is "almost totally unequipped" for this kind of warfare. With the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) due next week, de Bretton-Gordon says urgent action is needed.
“We need to be able to operate on a drone battlefield without being cut to pieces.”
He attributes the SDR’s delay to the sheer pace of change, not indecision—highlighting how quickly military tech becomes outdated.
Leadership still wins wars
Technology aside, strong field leadership remains essential. De Bretton-Gordon calls for renewed focus on Mission Command, the British Army’s tradition of empowering junior officers to act quickly without waiting for top-down orders.
“A commander who waits to hear back... when an opportunity appears... is not a real officer at all.”
The future is hybrid: steel and signal
For all the talk of drones and AI, war still comes down to fundamentals—adaptability, decision-making, and force protection.
“The principles of war have not changed... some of the new generation will dominate the electronic battlespace.”
And yes—they may still ride to war in tanks.
