Editing Tank (section)

===Mobility===
[[File:Zwei Leopard 2A5 beim durchqueren eines Gewässer.ogv|thumb|right|Two [[German Army]] Leopard 2s demonstrate their [[Amphibious vehicle#Deep fording|deep-wading]] capabilities]]

The mobility of a tank is described by its battlefield or tactical mobility, its operational mobility, and its strategic mobility.<ref name="logistics_burden">{{cite book |date= 1999 |title= Reducing the Logistics Burden for the Army After Next: Doing More with Less|url=https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/6402/chapter/1 |location=Washington, DC, USA |publisher=National Academy Press |doi= 10.17226/6402|isbn=9780309063784}}</ref>
* '''Tactical mobility''' is the tank's ability to move through the battle area. This could include acceleration, braking, speed and rate of turn on varying terrain, and obstacle clearance: the tank's ability to travel over or through obstacles like walls, trenches, and water.
* '''Operational mobility''' is the ability to move tanks hundreds of kilometers from a staging area to the battle area, for example, by using transport helicopters. 
* '''Strategic mobility''' is the ability of the tanks to be transported over long distances, usually by air or sea. For tanks to be transported efficiently by air, weight and volume must be kept within the transport aircraft's capabilities.<ref name="logistics_burden" />

[[File:M1 strategic mobility.jpg|thumb|right|[[M1 Abrams]] offloading from [[Landing Craft Air Cushioned]] vehicle.]]
Tanks have high tactical  mobility and can travel over most types of terrain due to their [[continuous track]]s and advanced suspension. The tracks disperse the weight of the vehicle over a large area, resulting in less [[ground pressure]]. A tank can travel at approximately {{convert|40|km/h|mph}} across flat terrain and up to {{convert|70|km/h|mph}} on roads, but due to the mechanical strain this places on the vehicle and the logistical strain on fuel delivery and tank maintenance, these must be considered exceptional "burst" speeds.

Tanks are susceptible to mechanical failure of engine and transmission systems, particularly at maximum burst speeds. Consequently, wheeled tank transporters and rail transport are used wherever possible for non-combat tank transport. Tank mobility is very restricted compared to wheeled [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s. Most operational mobility in blitzkrieg tank operations was conducted at the pedestrian pace of {{convert|5|km/h|mph}}, and that was only achieved on the roads of France.<ref>[[#Deighton1979|Deighton (1979)]], ''Blitzkrieg, From the rise of Hitler to the fall of Dunkirk'', p. 180</ref>
[[File:M88 pulling M1 engine.jpg|right|thumb|The [[M1 Abrams]] is powered by a {{convert|1500|shp}} [[Honeywell]] [[AGT-1500|AGT 1500]] gas turbine engine, giving it a governed top speed of {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} on paved roads, and {{convert|30|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} cross-country.]]