What constitutes a 4th generation tank?

[heavyaslead]

I suppose the Black Eagle was the first to claim this and I am sure most of the MBTs today could claim that as well depending on the weapons/armor/defense configuration.

So what particular systems or technologies make a '4th generation' tank?

 

[extern]

I suppose the Black Eagle was the first to claim this and I am sure most of the MBTs today could claim that as well depending on the weapons/armor/defense configuration.

So what particular systems or technologies make a '4th generation' tank?

The Russian classification pressume the next gen tank must have:
1) uninhabited turret
2) two men crew
3) more than ~30 hp/t power/weight ratio
4) advanced FCS with 'transparent armor' capability of helmet
5) low emission-observability, low sihluette of course.
6) all-around passive protection from atop hitting cassettes
7) advanced active protection system (soft-kill or hard-kill)
8) improved a-a weapon (30 mm autocannon with advanced fragmented munition and remooved control)
9) new generation ERA with APFSDS/tandem HEAT defeating capability

 

[Chrom]

The Russian classification pressume the next gen tank must have:
1) uninhabited turret
2) two men crew
3) more than ~30 hp/t power/weight ratio
4) advanced FCS with 'transparent armor' capability of helmet
5) low emission-observability, low sihluette of course.
6) all-around passive protection from atop hitting cassettes
7) advanced active protection system (soft-kill or hard-kill)
8) improved a-a weapon (30 mm autocannon with advanced fragmented munition and remooved control)
9) new generation ERA with APFSDS/tandem HEAT defeating capability

Exellent summary! However i would add another very significant point - guided ammunition. Very essencial for any new tank. Plus, with recent advances in IT technology we might see another requirement soon - ability to be remote controlled.

That is why most countries will not buy any significant amount of new tanks in the next 7-8 years. Becouse in is impossbile to develop a tank with all these reqs sooner.