Using their firepower, protection from enemy fire, and speed they create the shock effect necessary to disrupt the enemy's operations and to defeat him. At the basic level, tanks can destroy enemy armored vehicles, infantry, and anti-tank guided missile units, but their greatest impact is at the operational level, breaking through the enemy defense, exploiting the success of the attack into the enemy's rear areas, and pursuing the enemy as he flees. So, although the tank is the principle armor defeating weapon in the Armor team, its primary role is not just to defeat the enemy's tanks but to destroy the entire enemy force. To complete this demoralization and shattering of the enemy's will, armor units employ their tremendous firepower, armor protection, speed, and mobility to mount sustained operations, in concert with mechanized infantry, and supporting artillery. While Armor is essential in fighting a sophisticated enemy mechanized or armored force, history has shown that armor units are also invaluable in lower intensity conflicts against less sophisticated opponents.
Armored forces are truly the force for the commander to call upon for all battlefield conditions.
They have an important function, whether they are involved in shaping the battlefield, whether they are the main player in the decisive fight, or whether they are present in sustained operations. They are particularly valuable in the shaping phase of any fight. Cavalry formations allow the commanders to identify enemy actions with a small, yet highly potent portion of the force. This allows corps and division commanders to concentrate superior combat power against the enemy at the decisive time and place on of their choosing. Armored cavalry regiments and divisional cavalry squadrons also have the capability to perform missions in an economy of force role, allowing the corps commanders to mass their divisions and brigades elsewhere in preparation to continue the fight, to rearm, to reposition, or whatever other option is necessary.