“Tanks” of the near future will be unarmored (light) unmanned gun platforms, very low slung (I mean like waist high or lower), fast on multiple wheels, with pop-up targeting sensors and a gun which pops up to fire. Because the platforms on both sides will be unmanned and unarmored, guns will be relatively small caliber compared to the 120 mms guns used against manned armor. Like aerial drones, the main role of the tank drones will be to fight and break through enemy tank drones at the line of contact. Attacks will occur in swarms and the only effective counter-force will be opposing swarms.
Unmanned Osprey-style transports will carry and dispense swarms to the battlefield rapidly to achieve tactical surprise or prevent same.
Humans will send the swarms but within the swarms the actions of each drone will AI-controlled. Intra-swarm tactics will evolve rapidly, like a boxer learning how to fight the inside battle.
Missiles will come in swarms as well. Our aircraft carrier battle groups currently are designed to detect and engage sea-skimming missiles before they threaten the carrier itself. But all the existing picket defenses could be swamped if the Chinese launch 500 sea-skimming missiles simultaneously. We will either have to develop highly-effective counter-swarms to defend Navy vessels or keep all surface ships out of range of enemy missiles.
The future of war is millions of drones and the capacity to manufacture millions more per month. Looks good for China and Russian and bad for the West, at least until we get severely slapped around and wake up.
Then the swarms on both sides will talk to one another and realize that humans are their enemies and will attack together....