Target Stopped : The History of the Modern Tank

An engaging and insightful account of the evolution of the tank since 1945.

Sam Cranny-Evans explains how the technology behind the armour, weapons, mobility, and mission systems actually works, as well as how it has got to where it is today. The modern tank is essentially the same concept as the tanks that fought at the beginning of World War II – an armoured vehicle that can take a large gun to where it is most needed and support infantry. However, the technology that they now use is a blend between those things that would have been recognizable 80 years ago – the gun, armour, and tracks – and things that would have been entirely unimaginable, like the 1 million lines of code in an Ajax reconnaissance vehicle, or the uncrewed turret of the T-14 Armata.

Target Stopped explores the technical evolution of the systems that make up a modern tank through a chronological account of the major eras since 1945, from the Cold War to the various conflicts in the Middle East to Ukraine, and by explaining the threats that have driven these changes. It uses accounts of tank combat – collected from existing historical records or re-produced from archival footage – to give life to the stories and help readers feel the importance of each technological trend. Drawing on years of expertise in this area, Sam Cranny-Evans also looks ahead to the revolutionary changes that will drive forward the tanks of the future.