Editing Armoured fighting vehicle (section)

==== Survivability ====
{{Main|Aramid|Ballistic glass|Twaron|Vehicle armour}}

The level of armour protection between AFVs varies greatly – a [[main battle tank]] will normally be designed to take hits from other [[tank gun]]s and [[anti-tank missiles]], whilst light [[reconnaissance]] vehicles are often only armoured "just in case". Whilst heavier armour provides better protection, it makes vehicles less mobile (for a given engine power), limits its air-transportability, increases cost, uses more fuel and may limit the places it can go – for example, many bridges may be unable to support the weight of a main battle tank. A trend toward [[composite armour]] is taking the place of steel – composites are stronger for a given weight, allowing the tank to be lighter for the same protection as steel armour, or better protected for the same weight. Armour is being supplemented with [[active protection system]]s on a number of vehicles, allowing the AFV to protect itself from incoming projectiles.

[[File:PantheraScheme.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Armour-thickness chart for a [[Panther tank]]]]
The level of protection also usually varies considerably throughout the individual vehicle too, depending on the role of the vehicle and the likely direction of attack. For example, a main battle tank will usually have the heaviest armour on the hull front and the turret, lighter armour on the sides of the hull and the thinnest armour on the top and bottom of the tank. Other vehicles – such as the [[MRAP]] family – may be primarily armoured against the threat from [[Improvised explosive device|IEDs]] and so will have heavy, [[sloped armour]] on the bottom of the hull.