Combat vehicle A combat vehicle , also known as a ground combat vehicle , is a self - propelled , weaponized military vehicle used for combat operations . Combat vehicles can be wheeled or tracked . Design . Automation . The automation of human tasks endeavors to reduce the required crew size with improvements in robotics . Enhancements to automation can help achieve operational effectiveness with a smaller , more economical , combat vehicle force . The automation of combat vehicles has proved to be difficult due to the time latency between the operator controlling the vehicle and the signal being received . Unlike air forces , ground forces must navigate the terrain and plan around obstacles . The rapid tactical implications of operating a weaponized vehicle in a combat environment are great . Countermeasures . Use of titanium armor on combat vehicles is increasing . The use of titanium can lighten the vehicle ' s weight . Appliqué armor can be quickly applied to vehicles and has been utilized on the U . S . Army ' s M8 Armored Gun System . Contemporary combat vehicles may incorporate a fire - suppression system to mitigate damage from fire . Systems can be employed in the engine and crew compartments and portable systems may be mounted inside and outside the vehicle as well . Automatic fire suppression systems activate instantaneously upon the detection of fire and have been shown to significantly improve crew survivability . Halon fire suppression systems quickly inundate an affected fire breach with a flood of halon to extinguish leaking fuel . Halon remains necessary for crew compartment fire suppression due to space and weight constraints , and toxicity concerns . Nitrogen systems take up about twice as much space as a comparable halon unit . Germany uses this system as a replacement for its halon system . Some systems , such as Germany ' s previous extinguisher , have a second shot of suppressant to mitigate re - ignition or the effects of a second hit . Though not as instantaneous , portable crew - operable extinguishers are also used inside and outside the vehicle . Typically , portable extinguishers use a CO agent instead of the halon agents used in the past . CO can become lethal to vehicle occupants if it accumulates into a deadly concentration . The U . S . Army has adopted a replacement formula consisting of 50 % water , 50 % potassium acetate . Alternatives such as powder formulas also exist . Crew . Hygiene upkeep is difficult when operating a combat vehicle . Mobility . Tracked combat vehicles are suited for heavy combat and rough terrain . Wheeled combat vehicles offer improved logistical mobility and optimized speeds on smooth terrain . Silent watch is a role that requires that all mission requirements be met while keeping acoustic and infrared signature levels to a minimum . For this reason , silent watch often requires the vehicle to operate without use of the main engine and sometimes even auxiliary engines . Many modern combat vehicles often have electronic equipment that cannot be supported solely with auxiliary batteries alone . Auxiliary fuel cells are a potential solution for covert operations . Networking . Force trackers are still not as prevalent as in the air force but still is an essential component of combat vehicles . In the mid - ' 90s , U . S . weapon developers envisioned a sophisticated communication network where positions of enemy and friendly forces could be relayed to command vehicle s and other friendly vehicles . Friendly vehicles could transmit enemy positions to friendly combat vehicles in combat range for efficient annihilation of the enemy . Logistics support could also monitor front - line combat vehicle fuel and ammunition statuses and move in to resupply depleted vehicles . Weaponry . Combat vehicles weapons are primarily designed for engaging other vehicles at long distances and are not optimized for destroying non - traditional targets like car bomb s . History . Silent watch is becoming an increasingly important combat vehicle application .