Tank

These mines can be fired by a human operator, simple mechanical actuator such as a tripwire or pressure plate, or by more sophisticated systems, such as seismic, IR or other electronic fusing systems. Traditionally it is made with a domestic brick tea and yak's milk, then mixed in a churn for several minutes. The two common warheads for these mines are the ubiquitous HEAT and less commonly a platter charge. Butter, milk, salt, and sugar are added to brewed tea and churned to form a hot drink called Po cha in Tibet. When the tank passes they fire into the side of the tank. See Perennial Tea Ceremony. are all likely spots.
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Choke points such as bridges, fords, gates, underpasses, etc. Although Thai tea is not the same as bubble tea, a Southeast and East Asian beverage that contains large black pearls of tapioca starch, Thai tea with pearls is a popular flavor of bubble tea. These are mines that can be mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall, or tree, or mounted on a stand and are intended to be aimed at a road, track to other point a tank is likely to pass. It is popular in Southeast Asia and in many American restaurants that serve Thai or Vietnamese food, especially on the West Coast. As well as the traditional bottom attack mine, the scatter mine, the artillery delivered mine, or air delivered mine, there are also a number of side attack or "off route" mines available. It can also be made into a frappé at more westernised vendors. In addition with modern scatterable mines, and in particular artillery scatterable mines, it is actually possible to lay a mine field around a moving tank formation. Locally, it is served in a traditional tall glass and when ordered take-out, it is poured over the crushed ice in a clear (or translucent) plastic bag.

Mines have the advantage of attacking the thinnest armour of the tank and can be well concealed. Evaporated or whole milk is generally poured over the tea and ice before serving--it is never mixed prior to serving--to add taste and creamy appearance. The tank is still vulnerable to mines. This tea is sweetened with sugar and condensed milk and served chilled. In addition even the light cannon of the helicopter gunship can be effective as they can attack the thin top armour of the tank. Thai tea (also known as Thai iced tea) or "cha-yen" (Thai: ชาเย็น) when ordered in Thailand, is a drink made from strongly-brewed red tea that usually contains added anise, red and yellow food coloring, and sometimes other spices as well. In addition most helicopter launched ATGWs have sufficient range that they can under the right conditions fire from ranges where the tank itself can not easily retaliate with its own weapons (though it is believed that some countries are developing anti-helicopter weapons that can be fired from a main gun and some tank gunnery systems are probably capable of hitting a hovering or slow moving helicopter at considerable range). Grand Master Tsai, Rong Tsang the director of Lu-Yu Tea Culture Institute and the founder of the Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony has been an active part in the growth of this once small group from Taiwan (almost twenty years ago) to what is now an international organisation.

The helicopter can typically fire from behind cover, using its greater mobility to attack from an unexpected quarter. The Wu-Wo Tea Ceremony began as a Taiwanese tradition, which emphasizes that individuals make and serve tea to one another in a polite manner without regards to their social positions, wealth, and other hierarchical divisions. The single biggest threat to the tank today is the antitank helicopter armed with ATGWs (Anti-Tank Guided Weapons) or cannon. It is also known as black pearl tea or tapioca tea. laser designator) guidance for attacking tanks. Originating in Taiwan, it is especially popular in Asia (Taiwan, People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, South Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore) as well as Europe, Canada, and the United States. There has also been development of large calibre (81-mm and larger) guided mortar munitions with both internal (e.g., IR or radar) or external (i.e. Bubble tea, pearl milk tea (Chinese: 珍珠奶茶; pinyin: zhēnzhū nǎichá), or boba milk tea (波霸奶茶; bōbà nǎichá) is a tea beverage mixture with milk which includes balls of tapioca.

All of the above bar the CLGP can be fired from medium (152/155-mm) artillery, both tube and rocket. It is also famous as country of origin for Bubble tea and the Wu-Wo tea ceremony. When a tank is identified a rocket is fired to direct the projectile at the tank. Taiwan is the producer of some of the world's high-end green and oolong teas. In order to allow the munitions time to use its sensor the munitions will often be deployed under a parachute. Other infusions bearing the name cha are barley tea (mugi-cha) which is popular as a cold drink in the summer, buckwheat tea (soba-cha), and hydrangea tea (ama-cha). The munitions contain some circuitry to identify tanks, such as IR or millimetre radar. Major tea-producing areas in Japan include Shizuoka Prefecture and the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture.

Once again the shell explodes above the tank position and dispenses a (usually smaller) number of submunitions. Oolong tea enjoys considerable popularity. More sophisticated are submunitions with a homing capability. Most of the ubiquitous vending machines also carry a wide selection of both hot and cold bottled teas. A six-gun battery might be able to fire several hundred submunitions into an area in a minute or two. Black tea, often with milk or lemon, is served in Western style restaurants. A variation on this theme is replacing the top attack munitions with small antitank mines, which probably won't penetrate the armour but will blow off a track, leaving the tank vulnerable for destruction by other means. Today, hand pressing -- a method demonstrated to tourists -- is taught only as a technique preserved as a part of the Japanese cultural tradition.

If they do hit it will likely cause damage, despite their small size, since they are attacking the thin top armour. Still, the Japanese now enjoy green tea processed using state of the art technology that accentuates both its health benefits and its taste. At its simplest the shell bursts in the air and a number of shaped charged (HEAT) or HEDP (High Explosive Dual Purpose) bomblets or grenades rain down, with luck hitting the tank. Many Japanese are still taught the proper art of the centuries-old Tea Ceremony as well. In addition to achieving a direct hit with guided projectiles, guided and unguided scatter munitions and submunitions have been developed: a single artillery shell containing a number of smaller munitions designed to attack a tank. The strong cultural association the Japanese have with green tea has made it the most popular beverage to drink with traditional Japanese cuisine, such as sushi, sashimi and tempura. In addition some of these CLGP's such as the Copperhead have HEAT warheads instead of common HE. Families oftentimes bring along proper Japanese teacups, to enhance the enjoyment of the traditional drink.

These include laser guided projectiles, such as the US Copperhead CLGP (Cannon Launched Guided Projectile) which virtually guarantees a direct hit on the thin top armour. A thermos full of green tea is also a staple on family or school outings as an accompaniment to bento (box lunches). In the last thirty years however, a variety of artillery projectiles have been developed with attacking tanks in mind. When guests arrive, Japanese brew a pot of green tea. Even though a shell may not penetrate a tank's armour, it can still disable it through dynamic shock, internal armor shattering, or simply overturning the tank. The best traditional Japanese restaurants take as much care in choosing the tea they serve as in preparing the food itself. Traditionally, conventional artillery has not been very effective against tanks as the tank's armour could withstand any artillery round except a direct hit. At a restaurant, a cup of green tea is often served with meals at no extra charge, with as many refills as desired.

In addition in built up areas the tank is very vulnerable to attack from above—the roof and floor of the tank being traditionally the thinnest and weakest armoured surfaces. If you visit a Japanese company on business, you are likely to be offered a cup of tea to sip during your meeting. Tanks are also vulnerable to hand placed antitank mines. These snacks are usually opened and enjoyed with green tea. Whilst many handheld infantry antitank rockets, missiles and grenades will not penetrate the front armour of a tank, they will, generally speaking, penetrate the weaker, rear, top and perhaps sides, as well as being able to easily damage the running gear to inflict an "M" (mobility) kill. The Japanese have a custom of buying confectioneries for their colleagues when on vacations or business trips. Where tanks are operating in groups this is less of a problem, since they can call on nearby tanks to fire on themselves with machine guns and other light weapons which are unlikely to damage a tank but which will drive off infantry. Green tea is served in many companies during afternoon breaks.

Once an infantry man is close to a tank he cannot be targeted by its main weaponry unless the crew expose themselves to attack him, as the main gun and coaxial machine gun can not depress sufficiently to engage the close-in infantry man. Green tea's traditional role in Japanese society is as a drink for special guests and special occasions. However, the tank is a fearsome war machine; it takes confidence, discipline and training to carry this out. Bubble tea from Taiwan has also become popular in the United States in recent years. In theory, it is easy for an infantry man to lie prone, wait behind a tree or other handy cover or inside a building and to quickly dash out as a tank passes. Recently, many coffee houses have begun to serve a milky, sweet, spiced tea called "chai", based on Indian "masala chai". If the crew commander is not closed down, that is, has exposed his head and perhaps upper body for the better view it affords him, then he can of course be shot. This blend is often referred to as American blend by tea companies to differentiate it from other blends sometimes refered to as fine teas.

For veteran troops, it is relatively easy for an infantry man to get close to a tank, especially if it is fully closed down (that is, the commander is fully inside the turret) as tanks have very poor visibility close in and especially to the sides and rear, unless the turret is pointing in that direction. Most ice tea blends are derived from Argentina tea plantations, which has a discernible different taste than black teas blended from Indian and Chinese stocks. This is why modern tactics insist on tanks being closely supported by friendly infantry. Prior to this time most tea available in the US was blended specifically for iced tea with the quality of not discoloring when iced and cost as the primary desired qualities, even over taste. This can give enemy infantry the initiative, allowing them to spot, track and evade tanks until an opportunity presents itself for a stealthy counter-attack. In the 1980's a revival of fine hot teas occurred in the United States. The armour and mobility of tanks, while usually notable assets, also makes them large and noisy. Instant teas are typically purchased because of their costs and convenience.

The tank is still vulnerable to infantry, especially in close country or built up areas. Low temperatures tend to be used to minimize loss of flavor. In fact it is the tank's superiority which has focused so much effort on improving antitank weapons. The extract is concentrated under low pressure, and drying the concentrate to a powder by freeze-drying, spray-drying, or vacuum-drying. Whilst being a tremendously powerful weapon and the undoubted king of the land battlefield, the tank is not invulnerable. Instant teas are produced from black tea by extracting the liquor from processed portion of tea typically from tea wastes or undried fermented leaves. See also:. In 1946, Nestle USA introduced the first instant tea, Nestea.

In addition to easing the reporting burden, these systems also allow for orders to be given complete with graphics and overlays, via the network. This caused many establishments to sell tea through the same method as fountain drinks, pumped from a Bag-In-Box. These integrate known information on enemy targets and friendly units to greatly improve the tank commander's situational awareness. Prior to 1996 many restaurants dispensed iced tea brewed through the day in large urns, however an FDA survey revealed high levels of coliform bacteria (from fecal matter)in the tubing that goes from the reservoir to the spigot [24] in many of these urns. tanks are fitted with digital computers which are connected into battlefield networks. Iced tea can be purchased like soda, in canned or bottled form at vending machines and convenience stores; usually, this pre-made tea is sweetened, and sometimes some other flavorings, such as lemon or raspberry, are added. U.S. In the US, Sweet Tea is typically available in the South where as in the north and west, tea is typically served unsweetened, although sweetener is available to stir into the already cold tea, with poor results as the cold tea will not dissolve sugar properly.

A recent development in AFV equipment is the increased integration of fire control, the laser range-finder, GPS data, and digital communications. Iced tea's popularity in the United States has led to an addition to standard flatware sets; the iced tea spoon is a standard flatware teaspoon, but with a long handle, suitable for stirring sugar into the taller glasses commonly used for iced tea. More advanced systems allow the commander to take control of the turret and fire the main armament in an emergency. Iced tea was popularized at the 1904 World's Fair. In a main battle tank, the commander has his own panoramic sights (with night-vision equipment), allowing him to designate one or more new targets, while the gunner engages another. The oldest printed recipe of sweet tea dates back to a community cookbook "Housekeeping in Old Virginia", by Marion Cabell Tyree, published in 1879 [23]. Since the 1960s, a tank's commander has had progressively more sophisticated equipment for target acquisition. Sometimes the diluted mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature other times the sugar and tea mixture is not diluted at all but rather poured hot over a full tumbler of ice to cool and dilute it.

When taking fire, or in potential NBC conditions, tank crews "button up" and only view the battlefield through vision slits or periscopes, severely reducing their ability to acquire targets and perceive hazards. The mixture of sugar and tea is then diluted with water and served over ice and garnished with lemon. Most armoured forces operate with the crew commander, and possibly other crew members, "hatches up", for best possible situational awareness. Sweet Tea, sometimes known as Southern Table Wine, is tea brewed very strong with a large amount of sugar, typically 1.5 - 2.5 cups, added while the tea is still hot. Communications on a busy network are subject to a set of formalised language rules called radio voice procedure. These punches had names such as Regent's Punch, Charleston's Saint Cecilia Punch, and Chatham Artillery Punch. Company or battalion commanders' tanks usually have an additional radio. Prior to the mid 1800's, tea when served cold, was referred to as tea punch and was typically spiked with alcohol.

A modern tank is usually equipped with radio equipment allowing its crew to communicate on a company or battalion radio network, and possibly to monitor a higher-level network, to co-ordinate with other arms of service. Most tea sold in the United States is sold in bags. From the 1930s to the '50s, most nations' armoured forces became equipped with radios, but visual signals are still used to reduce radio chatter. Silk was too expensive for bagging, therefore, he invented tea bags made of gauze. Signal flares, smoke, movement, and weapons fire are all used by experienced crews to co-ordinate their tactics. Sullivan did not realize this until they all started to complain that the orders they received were not in the bags the samples had been in. In World War One, situation reports were sent back to headquarters by releasing carrier pigeons through vision slits. The customers were interested in the silk bags instead of the tea.

In the earliest tank operations, communications between the members of an armoured company were accomplished using hand signals or handheld semaphore flags, and in some situations, by crew members dismounting and walking to another tank. Sullivan, a New York tea importer, inadvertently invented tea bags when he sent tea to clients in small silk bags to cut costs, and they mistakenly steeped the bags whole. Some tanks have even been equipped with an external intercom on the rear, to allow co-operating infantry to talk to the crew. Thomas Sullivan is credited with inventing tea bags in 1908. Most modern AFVs are equipped with an intercom, allowing all crew members to talk to each other, and to operate the radio equipment. In the United States, about 80% of the tea consumed is served cold, or iced. In many small armoured fighting vehicles, even into the late twentieth century, the crew commander would relay movement orders to the driver by kicks to his shoulders and back. Decaffeinated tea is widely available in the United States, for those who wish to reduce the physiological effects of caffeine.

In some early tanks, the crew commander's task was severely hampered by having to load or fire the main armament, or both. Green, oolong, and white teas have recently become more popular again. Every action of a tank's crew, movement and fire, is ordered by its commander. After the war, nearly 99 percent of tea consumed was black tea. Armoured bulkheads, engine noise, intervening terrain, dust, and smoke, and the need to operate "hatches down" (or "buttoned up") comprise severe detriments to communications. The war cut off the United States from its primary sources of green tea, China and Japan, leaving it with tea almost exclusively from British-controlled India, which produces black tea. Because of the isolation of small units, individual vehicles, and even the crewmen of a tank, special arrangements have had to be made. Prior to World War II, the US preference for tea was equally split between green tea and black tea, 40% and 40%, with the remaining 20% preferring oolong tea.

Commanding and co-ordinating a tank organisation in the field has always been subject to particular problems. Afternoon tea, the meal, is rarely served in the United States except in ritualized special occasions such as the tea party or an afternoon out at a high-end hotel or restaurant, which may also have cream teas on the menu. Although the KLA had little chance of destroying the tanks, their purpose was to get the tanks to move whereupon they could be more easily identified and destroyed by NATO air power. Tea is also consumed throughout the day as a beverage. This changed in the final week of the conflict, when the Kosovo Liberation Army began to engage tanks. In the United States, tea typically is served at all meals as an alternative to coffee, when served hot, or soda, when served iced. During the initial few weeks of the conflict NATO air sorties were rather ineffective in destroying Serbian tanks. To this day, coffee remains more popular than tea in the United States however the average US citizen consumes roughly 7.8 gallons of tea a year as of 2000 [22].

Getting a tank to move proved to be important in the Kosovo conflict in 1999. Boycotts of tea by the colonists during this period led to an increase in consumption of other beverages, such as coffee or herbal tea. Another factor in the Gulf War was that, even when camouflaged and not moving, Iraqi tanks at night would cool at a different rate from their surroundings, making thermal detection easier. This led to the Boston Tea Party, a precipitating event of the American Revolution, where angry Colonists destroyed the tea cargo of three British ships by dumping them into Boston Harbor. One of the reasons for the one-sided fighting during the Gulf War was that tanks like M1 Abrams had almost four times the night-time infrared scanning range of T-72s used by the Iraqi army. During the colonial period, tea and tea taxes were a bone of contention between the American Colonies and England. A moving tank is thus relatively easy to spot by good land-based or aerial infrared scanners. In 2004, the Hawaii Tea Society [21] was formed from about 40 members, many of who had started backyard tea farms, to promote Tea grown in Hawaii.

The unusually compact mass of metal of the tank hull dissipates heat in a fashion which marks it off sharply from other objects in the countryside. Tea production in Hawaii is expected to triple by 2008. The very large power output of modern tank engines (typically in excess of 750kW or 1,000hp) ensure that they produce a distinct thermal signature. In 2003 Hawaii had an estimated 5 acres of land producing tea but by 2005 that number jumped to roughly 80 acres. The acoustic signature of a turbine engine is much greater: its high-pitched whine can be much more easily distinguished from other sounds, near or far. With the decline of the Hawaii's sugar industry Tea Cultivation is seen as a possible replacement crop. The acoustic and seismic signatures of multi-fuel engines are comparable. Department of Agriculture [20].

When moving, the vibrations are greater. A joint study of commercially growing tea in Hawaii was started by Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and Hilo’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management with the U.S. When a tank stands still with engine running the land trembles around it. In 2000 horticulturist, Francis Zee found that Camellia sinensis tea plants flourish in the tropical climate and volcanic soil of Hawaii. The deep rumble of even a single tank can be heard a great distance on a quiet day, and the sharp diesel smell can be carried far downwind. Both companies decided not to open plantations on the Island, but rather to open plantations in Latin and South America. From the outside a diesel powered tank smells, sounds, and feels quite like a diesel locomotive. In the 1960's Lipton and A&B formed a joint venture to investigate the possibility of growing tea commercially in Hawaii.

Tanks are powered by a diesel or turbine engine of a power comparable to a diesel locomotive. Lower production costs of tea's main rival, coffee, also helped prevent it from establishing a foothold [19]. Some camouflage nets are manufactured from unevenly distributed mix of materials with differing thermal properties, which are designed to "randomise" or at least reduce the regularity of the thermal signature of a tank. While it is not clear why the tea was eventually discontinued, historians believe higher wages compared to other prime tea growing areas in Asia and Africa were among the deciding factors. This risk can be reduced somewhat by the use or thermal blankets which reduce the radiation of heat while the engine and tracks cool. Tea was introduced in Hawaii in 1887 and was commercially grown until 1892. Indeed even if the tank itself is hidden, for example behind a hill, it is still possible for a skilled operator to detect the tank from the column of warmer air above the tank. In 2003, Bigelow Tea Corporation purchased the Charleston Tea Plantation and temporarily closed the plantation in order to renovate it, the plantation reopened in January of 2006 [18].

A recently stopped stationary tank has a considerable heat signature. American Classic Tea has been the official tea of the White House since 1987 [17]. The tank tracks across lands can be spotted from the air, and in the desert movement can stir up vast dust clouds several times the size of the tanks. The Charleston Tea Plantation sold tea mail order known as American Classic Tea and also they produced Sam's Choice Instant Tea, sold through Sam's Clubs. In both cases, however, once a tank starts its engine or begins to move it can be detected much more easily due to the heat and noise generated by its engine. The Charleston Tea Plantation utilized a converted Tobacco harvester to mechanically harvest the tea [16]. By contrast, in the open it is very hard to hide a tank. Lipton operated an experimental tea farm until it was sold to Mack Fleming and Bill Hall in 1987 who converted the experimental farm into a working tea plantation.

Stationary tanks can be well camouflaged in woodland and forested areas where there is natural cover, making detection and attack from the air more difficult. In 1963, The Lipton Tea Company, worried about the instability of the third world countries that produce tea, paid to have the surviving tea plants at Pinehurst moved to a former potato farm on Wadmalaw Island [15]. Like most modern diesel engines used in tanks, gas turbines are usually multi-fuel engines. The Pinehurst plantation lay unattended until 1963. Piston engines also need well-maintained filters, but they are more resilient if the filter does fail. Shepard's death in 1915. An improperly fitted filter, or a single bullet or piece of shrapnel can render the filter useless, potentially damaging the engine. Pinehurst produced award winning teas until Dr.

The turbine blades are also very sensitive to dust and fine sand, so that in desert operations special filters have to be carefully fitted and changed several times daily. Shepard secured laborers for the fields by opening a school and making tea-picking part of its curriculum, essentially ensuring a force of child labor while providing them with an education they might not otherwise obtain. In practice, however, those parts experience a higher wear due to their higher working speeds. Dr. A turbine is theoretically more reliable and easier to maintain than a piston-based engine, since it has a simpler construction with fewer moving parts. Charles Shepard established the Pinehurst Tea Plantation close to the government's farm. The M1A2 was nicknamed Whispering Death for its quiet operation.[1]. In 1888 Dr.

On the other hand the acoustic signature of a tank with a muffled gas turbine can be quieter than a piston engine–powered one. The Department of Agriculture issued a report in 1897 that "estimates the minimum cost about eight times as much to pick one pound of tea in South Carolina as that paid for the same service in Asia.". Because of their lower efficiency, the thermal signature of a gas turbine is higher than a diesel engine at the same level of power output. They concluded that South Carolina climate was too unstable to sustain the tea crop. Russia has replaced T-80 production with the less powerful T-90 (based on the T-72), while Ukraine has developed the diesel-powered T-80UD and T-84 with nearly the power of the gas-turbine tank. They ran the program from 1884 until 1888. T-80 tanks are commonly seen with large external fuel tanks to extend their range. The US Government planted an experimental farm outside Summerville, South Carolina.

Newer models of the M1 have a small secondary turbine engine as an APU to power the tank's systems while stationary, saving fuel by reducing the need to idle the main turbine. In 1863, the New York Times reported the discovery of tea plants growing natively in Western Maryland and Pennsylvania [14]. However they are much less fuel efficient, especially at low RPMs, requiring larger fuel tanks to achieve the same combat range. Alexis Forster oversaw the next short-lived attempt in Georgetown, South Carolina, from 1874 until his death in 1879. They are comparatively lighter and smaller than diesel engines; at the same level of sustained power output (the T-80 was dubbed the Flying Tank for its high speed). Dr. M1 Abrams. In 1848, Junius Smith succeeded in growing tea commercially in Greenville, South Carolina, until his death in 1853.

Gas turbine engines have been used as an auxiliary power unit (APU) in some tanks, and are the main power plant in the Soviet/Russian T-80 and U.S. The first recorded successful cultivation of the tea plant in the United States is recorded as growing on Skidaway Island near Savannah in 1772. Modern tank engines are in some cases multi-fuel engines, which can operate on diesel, petrol or similar fuels. Commercial tea cultivation in the United States has been attempted since 1744 when the Trust Garden in Savannah was sent Tea Seeds. Fuel tanks are commonly placed at the rear of the tank, though in some designs, such as the Israeli Merkava, the diesel fuel tanks are placed around the crew area to provide an additional layer of "armour." Fuel has often been stored in auxiliary tanks externally, or by other means such as in a small trailer towed behind the tank, able to be detached during combat. As of 2006, both South Carolina and Hawaii Teas are available through mail order and online purchases. Some Soviet tanks used the dark smoke of burning diesel as an advantage and could intentionally burn fuel in the exhaust to create smoke for cover. Although Camellia sinensis can grow along the eastern coast of the United States, where it is typically grown as an ornamental plant and for personal use, and other areas like Hawaii, currently the US only has one commercial tea plantation, in Charleston South Carolina, and a collective of roughly 40 small growers in Hawaii [13].

All modern non-turbine tanks use a diesel engine because diesel fuel is less flammable and more economical than petrol. Main article: US tea culture. The weight and type of power-plant (influenced by its transmission and drive train) largely determines how fast and mobile the tank is, but the terrain effectively limits the maximum speed of all tanks through the stress it puts on the suspension and the crew. Bubble Tea has also become common in Australia. Starting in the late 1970s, turbine engines began to appear. Due to the diverse mix of races and cultures in Australia since the 1950's, most cultural variations of tea are available these days. As the Cold War started, tanks had almost all switched over to using diesel, improved multi-fuel versions of which are still common. The slang term "cuppa" (as in a "cup of tea"), is used in Australia and New Zealand possibly to counteract this confusion, but is more likely just an abbreviation.

In the Second World War there was a mix of power-plant types used; a lot of tank engines were adapted aircraft engines. This could lead to confusion over the meaning of an invitation to "tea". Tanks fielded in WWI mostly used petrol (gasoline) engines as power-plants, unlike the American Holt Gas-Electric tank which was powered by a petrol (gasoline) engine and an electric engine. Note that "tea" may also refer to a meal, or dinner, in Commonwealth nations, regardless of the beverage served with the meal. The tank's power-plant supplies power for moving the tank and for other tank systems, such as rotating the turret or electrical power for a radio. Afternoon tea and the variant cream tea (called Devonshire Tea in Australia) is the staple "tea ceremony" of the English speaking Commonwealth countries, available in homes and tea rooms throughout the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Africa and New Zealand, although in most of these places it is an antiquated, and no longer daily routine. Those that did make it ashore, however, provided essential fire support in the first critical hours, getting off the beaches. More importantly, they are usually non-smoking, unlike most pubs and cafés.

A number of these DDs sank due to rough weather in the Channel (having been launched too far out). These tea rooms are appreciated for offering quiet environments with pleasant music. The Sherman DD could not fire when afloat as the buoyancy screen was higher than the gun. Although considered an underground environment by many, tea rooms continue to pop up almost in every middle-sized town. This was referred to as the Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) and was used on D-Day to provide close fire support on the beaches during the initial landings. Less visible than in the Czech Republic, tea culture also exists in Slovakia. It was propelled by propellers driven by the main engine. Different tea rooms have also created various blends and methods of preparation and serving.

In World War II the M4 Medium (Sherman) tank was made amphibious with the addition of a rubberised canvas screen to provide additional buoyancy. Pure teas are usually prepared with respect to their country of origin and good tea palaces may offer 80 teas from almost all tea-producing countries. Often a fold down trim vane is erected to stop water washing over the bow of the tank and thus reducing the risk of the vehicle being swamped via the driver's hatch. Despite having the same name, they are mostly different from the British style tea rooms. Some light tanks such as the PT-76 are amphibious, typically being propelled in the water by hydrojets or by their tracks. Specific tea culture developed in the Czech Republic in recent years, including many styles of tearooms. However if properly planned and executed this type of operation adds considerable scope for surprise and flexibility in water crossing operations. Tea is a family event, and is usually served with sugar (one to three teaspoonfuls per cup) and lemon (but without milk), and an assortment of jams, pastries and confections.

This has influenced tactics in those countries where the psychological health of the crews or their capacity for rebellion is taken into account. The podstakannik, or tea glass holder (literally "thing under the glass"), is also a part of Russian tea tradition, used nowadays primarily on trains and in inexpensive hotels, because broken glasses are cheaper to replace. Tank crews usually have a negative reaction towards deep fording. The traditional implement for boiling water for tea used to be the samovar (and sometimes it still is, though usually electric). This type of fording requires careful preparation of the tank and the ingress and egress sites on the banks of the water obstacle. In Russia, it is customary to drink tea brewed separately in a teapot and diluted with freshly boiled water ('pair-of-teapots tea', 'чай парой чайников'). Russian snorkels are also fixed in length, providing only a couple of metres of depth over the turret height. To a lesser extent than in other Muslim countries, tea replaces alcohol as the social beverage.

Some Russian/Soviet tanks are also able to perform deep fording operations, however unlike the Leopard, the Russian snorkel is only a few inches round and does not provide a crew escape path. It is drunk from small glasses in order to show the colour of the tea, with lumps of beetroot sugar. The height of the tube is limited to around three meters. Turkish tea is prepared by special method and can be served strong ("koyu"/dark) or weak ("açık"/light). This tube is then fitted to the crew commander's hatch and provides air and a possible escape route for the crew. As pictured, Turkish tea or Çay is produced on the eastern Black Sea coast, which has a mild climate with high precipitation and fertile soil. The Leopard snorkel is in fact a series of rings which can be stacked to create a long tube. Drinking tea has become part of the culture of Sri Lanka.

The West German Leopard I and Leopard II tanks can ford to a depth of several metres, when properly prepared and equipped with a snorkel. Tea is a hugely popular beverage among the Sri-Lankan people, and part of its land is surrounded by the many hills of tea plantations that spread for miles and miles round. However, with preparation some tanks are able to ford considerably deeper waters. In Sri Lanka, tea is served in the English style, with milk and sugar, but the milk is always warmed. The typical fording depth for MBTs is 90 to 120 cm. Most of the tea consumed in Pakistan is imported from Kenya. The fording depth is usually limited by the height of the air intake of the engine, and to a lesser extent the driver's position. During British Rule tea became so popular in the subcontinent that it is now a common breakfast and all-day drink.

For most tanks water operations are limited to fording. As in India, tea is popular all over Pakistan. These vehicles lack the superior off-road mobility of tracked vehicles, but are considered by United States planners as more suited for rapid reaction forces due to increased strategic mobility. Darjeeling tea is known for its delicate aroma and light colour and is aptly termed as "the champagne of teas", Assam tea is known for its robust taste and dark colour, and Nilgiri tea is dark, intensely aromatic and flavoured. Some tank-like vehicles use wheels instead of tracks in order to increase road speed and decrease maintenance needs. Tea has also entered the common idiom so much so that the term "Chai-Pani" ( Tea/Tea and water ) usually refers to salary or wages. Using sea and ground transportation is slow, making tanks problematic for rapid reaction forces. Offering tea to visitors is a cultural norm in India.

Tanks, especially main battle tanks, are extremely heavy, making it very difficult to airlift them. Usually tea leaves are boiled in water while making tea, and milk is added. Another mobility issue is getting the tank to the theatre of operations. Almost all the tea consumed is black Indian tea. This is in addition to the tactical halts needed so that the infantry or the air units can scout ahead for the presence of enemy antitank groups. It is often served as masala chai with milk and sugar, and sometimes scented. Frequent halts must be planned for preventive maintenance and verifications in order to avoid breakdowns during combat. One of the world's largest producers, India is a country where tea is popular all over as a breakfast and evening drink.

When moving in a country or region with no rail infrastructure and few good roads, or a place with roads riddled by mines or frequent ambushes, the average speed of advance of a tank unit in a day is comparable to that of a man on a horse or bicycle. The Peruvian Government authorizes farmers to legally cultivate about 14,000 kilograms for the consumption of coca-leaf tea. Planning for railcar loading and unloading is crucial staff work, and railway bridges and yards are prime targets for enemy forces wishing to slow a tank advance. Guides on the Inca Trail serve the tea with every meal to help hikers acclimate to the high elevation. Tanks invariably end up on railcars in any country with a rail infrastructure, because no army has enough wheeled transporters to carry all its tanks. Today the consumption of coca tea is a common occurrence in Cuzco and many other Peruvian highland cities. Since an immobilised tank is an easy target for mortars, artillery, and the specialised tank hunting units of the enemy forces, speed is normally kept to a minimum, and every opportunity is used to move tanks on wheeled tank transporters and by railway instead of under their own power. Native Peruvians have used Coca tea as a remedy for thousands of years.

Although the maximum off-road speed is lower, it cannot be kept up continuously for a day, given the variety and unpredictability of off-road terrain (with the possible exception of plains and sandy deserts).
. But in practice, the huge weight of the tank combined with the relative weakness of the track assembly makes the maximum road speed of a tank really a burst speed, which can be kept up for only a short time before there is a mechanical breakdown. The Irish love of tea is perhaps best illustrated by the stereotypical housekeeper, Mrs Doyle in the popular sit-com Father Ted. On the road the fastest tank design is not much slower than the average wheeled fighting vehicle design. There is a considerable amount of light-hearted debate over which brand is superior. On paper, or during any test drive of a few hours, a single tank offers better off-road performance than any wheeled fighting vehicle. The two main brands of tea sold in Ireland are Lyons and Barry's.

The logistics of getting from point A to point B are not as simple as they appear. As with Britain tea in Ireland is usually taken with milk and/or sugar. The road speed may be up to 70 km/h. The national average is four cups per person per day, with many people drinking six cups or more. In "normal" terrain, a tank can be expected to travel at about 30 to 50 km/h. Ireland has, for a long time, been one of the biggest per-capita consumers of tea in the world. The types of terrain that do pose a problem are usually extremely soft ground such as swamps, or rocky terrain scattered with large boulders. This is seen nowhere else in the world.

Its wide tracks disperse the heavy weight of the vehicle over a large area, resulting in a specific ground pressure that might be lower than that of a man's foot. Iranians traditionally drink tea by pouring it into the saucer and putting a lump of sugar in the mouth before drinking the tea. A main battle tank is designed to be very mobile and able to tackle most types of terrain. Châikhâne's are still an important social place. The third is its ability to be transported from one theatre of operation to other, dependent on its weight, air portability and so on. Iranians have one of the highest per capita rate of tea consumption in the world and from old times every street has had a Châikhâne (Tea House). The second is the ability of the tank to be readily transported within a theatre of operation. That region covers a large part of Iran's need for tea.

The first is a function of its engine performance and capability of its running gear and is determined by aspects such as acceleration, speed, vertical obstacle capability and so on. Especially in the Gilan province on the slopes of Alborz large areas are under tea cultivation and millions of people work in the tea industry for their livelihood. Mobility of a tank is categorised as Battlefield Mobility, Tactical Mobility, or Strategic Mobility. The whole part of northern Iran along the shores of the Caspian Sea is suitable for the cultivation of tea. There are essentially two main aspects of mobility to consider, the tank's basic mobility such as its speed across terrain and ability to climb obstacles, and its overall battlefield mobility such as range, what bridges it can cross, and what transport vehicles can move it. Tea found its way to Persia (Iran) from India and soon became the national drink. Improvements in onboard optical systems are ongoing, in order to overcome this problem. The word for tea in Indonesian is teh..

Thus, when a tank advances in hostile territory with hatches closed, the commander and the crew might be personally safer, but the tank as a whole is more at risk given the extremely reduced vision. Nearly 60% of Indonesian tea is green tea; black tea is mostly exported for blending. Tank periscopes and other viewing devices give a sharply inferior field of vision and sense of the countryside, despite constant advances in optics and electronics. Although tea is picked year round, usually by hand, the best comes during the dry season of August and September. In this rather high position the commander can see around the vehicle with no restrictions, and has the greatest chance of spotting enemy antitank operations or natural and unnatural obstacles which might immobilise or slow down the tank. Dutch settlers established tea plantations on the island of Java in the early 18th century and later on Sumatra and Sulawesi. Paradoxically, a tank is usually in its safest state when the commander is in a personally unsafe position, riding in the open, head out of the turret, with no personal protection save his helmet and a flak jacket. Traditional Chinese tea, including green tea, flower tea, jasmine tea and Pu-erh tea, are also common, and are served at dim sum restaurant during yum cha.

When the system detects hostile fire, it calculates a firing resolution and directs an explosive-launched counter-projectile to intercept or disrupt the incoming fire a few metres from the target. It is popular at cha chaan tengs and fast food shops such as Café de Coral and Maxims Express. An APS uses radar or other sensing technology to automatically react to incoming projectiles. The English-style tea has evolved into a new local style of drink, the Hong Kong-style milk tea, more often simply "milk tea", in Hong Kong. Active protection systems go one step further than reactive armour. The tea is rumored to cure headaches, stomach problems, and stress, among many other ailments. Reactive armour is attached to the outside of an MBT in small, replaceable bricks. The tea is generally served with small cookies during the week and cakes during special occasions or on weekends as a special treat.

Explosive reactive armour, or ERA, is another major type of protection against high explosive antitank weapons, in which sections of armour explode to dissipate the focussed explosive force of a shaped charge warhead. Heavy cream is also used to flavor the tea. Passive countermeasures, like the Russian Shtora system, attempt to jam the guidance systems of incoming guided missiles. Tea is sweetened with kluntjes, a rock candy sugar that melts slowly, allowing multiple cups to be sweetened. Other passive defences include radio warning devices, which provide warning if the tank is targeted by radar systems that are commonly used to guide antitank weapons such as millimetre and other very short wave radar. Strong black tea is served whenever there are visitors to an East Frisian home or other gathering, as well as with breakfast, mid-afternoon, and mid-evening. Modern tanks are increasingly being fitted with passive defensive systems such as laser warning devices, which activate an alarm if the tank is "painted" by a laser range-finder or designator. In an otherwise coffee drinking country, the German region of East Friesland is noted for its consumption of tea and its tea culture.

Generally smoke generators work by injecting fuel into the exhaust, which partially burns the fuel, but leaves sufficient unburned or partially burned particles to create a dense smoke screen. Many of these card collections are now valuable collectors' items. Some tanks also have smoke generators which can generate smoke continuously, rather than the instantaneous, but short duration of smoke grenades. Some renowned artists were used to illustrate the cards including Charles Tunnicliffe. Since the advent of thermal imagers most tanks carry a smoke grenade that contains a plastic or rubber compound whose tiny burning fragments provide better obscurant qualities against thermal imagers. Perhaps the best known were Typhoo tea and Brooke Bond PG Tips the latter of whom also provided albums for collectors to keep their cards in. Prior to the widespread introduction of thermal imaging the most common smoke grenade in AFV launchers was white phosphorus which created a very rapid smoke screen as well as having a very useful incendiary effect against any infantry in the burst area (e.g., infantry attempting to close with hand placed charges or mines). These were illustrated cards roughly the same size as cigarette cards and intended to be collected by children.

There have been proposals to equip other tanks with dual-purpose smoke/fragmentation grenade launchers that can be reloaded from the interior. In the United Kingdom a number of varieties of loose tea sold in packets from the 1940s to the 1980s contained tea cards. Many Israeli tanks contain small vertical mortar tubes which can be operated from within the tank, enhancing the anti-personnel capabilities and allowing it to engage targets which are behind obstacles. Further, tea helped alleviate some of the consequences of the urbanisation that accompanied the industrial revolution: drinking tea required boiling one's water, thereby killing water-borne diseases like dysentery, cholera, and typhoid [12]. In many MBTs, such as the French-built Leclerc, the smoke grenade launchers are also meant to launch tear gas grenades and anti-personnel fragmentation grenades. Afternoon tea possibly became a way to increase the number of hours labourers could work in factories; the stimulants in the tea, accompanied by sugary snacks would give workers energy to finish out the days work. Some smoke grenades are designed to make a very dense cloud capable of blocking the laser beams of enemy target designators or range finders and of course obscuring vision, reducing probability of a hit from visually aimed weapons, especially low speed weapons, such as antitank missiles which require the operator to keep the tank in sight for a relatively long period of time. Some scholars suggest the tea played a role in British industrial revolution.

Modern smoke grenades work in the infrared as well as visible spectrum of light. These are informal and selfless affairs which help to maintain a good working relationship by boosting team morale. The smoke screen is very rarely used offensively, since attacking through it blocks the attacker's vision and gives the enemy an early indication of impending attack. Even today many British workplaces have and maintain 'Tea Clubs'. Most armoured vehicles carry smoke grenade launchers which can rapidly deploy a smoke screen to visually shield a withdrawal from an enemy ambush or attack. Lyons Corner Houses were a successful chain of such establishments. The Israeli Merkava tank takes the design of protection systems to an extreme, using the engine and fuel tanks as secondary armour (back-up armour). In Devon and Cornwall particularly, cream teas are a speciality.

A form of Chobham armour is encased in depleted uranium on the very well-protected M1A1 Abrams MBT. There is a tradition of tea rooms in the UK which usually provide the traditional fare of cream and jam on scones, but these have declined in popularity since World War II. One of the best types of passive armour is the British-developed Chobham armour, which is comprised of spaced ceramic blocks contained by a resin-fabric matrix between layers of conventional armour. Tea served with milk and two teaspoons of sugar usually in a mug is commonly referred to as "builder's tea". Since the 1970s, some tanks have been protected by more complex composite armour, a sandwich of various alloys and ceramics. Tea is usually served with milk (not cream) and sugar. As a defence, some vehicles have a layer of anti-spall material lining their insides. The term evidently comes from the meal being eaten at the "high" (main) table, rather than the smaller table common in living rooms.

This may kill the crew without penetrating the armour, still neutralizing the tank. Frequently (outside the UK) this is referred to as "high tea", however in the UK high tea is an evening meal. Some antitank ammunition (HESH or HEP) uses flexible explosive material, which squashes against a vehicle's armour, and causes dangerous spalling of material inside the tank when the charge explodes. "Tea" is not only the name of the beverage, but of a late afternoon light meal, irrespective of the beverage drunk (especially in The North, where the evening meal usually referred to as "dinner" is called "tea", and "lunch" is "dinner"). Thin plates of spaced armour, steel mesh "RPG screens", or rubber skirts, were found to cause HEAT rounds to detonate too far from the main armour, greatly reducing their penetrating power. For most people in Britain tea drinking is not the delicate, refined cultural expression that much of the world imagines -- a cup (or more often a mug) of tea is something drunk several times a day quite unceremoniously. These weapons carry a warhead with a shaped charge, which focuses the force of an explosion into a narrow penetrating stream. Tea initially was such a luxury that the teapoy, a dedicated piece of furniture, was developed for storing it.

High explosive antitank weapons (HEAT), such as the bazooka, were a new threat in the Second World War. The popularity of tea dates back to the 19th Century when India was part of the British Empire, and British interests controlled tea production in the subcontinent. Many tracked military vehicles have side skirts, protecting the suspension. The British are one of the largest per capita tea consumers in the world - second only to Ireland, with each person consuming on average 2.5 kg per year. Even light infantry antitank weapons can immobilise a tank by damaging its suspension or track. The word in the Vietnamese language is tra (pronounced cha/ja) or che. German tank crews were said to be horrified to find that shots fired at the angled plates of T-34s would sometimes simply ricochet. The tea is normally drunk green, and strongly brewed.

Angling armour plates greatly increases their effectiveness against projectiles, by increasing the effective perpendicular thickness of the armour, and by increasing the chance of deflection. Tea is cultivated extensively in the north of the country, making Vietnam one of the world's largest exporters. The most famous and successful example of this approach at the time was the T-34. This is the current and preferred method of preparing tea in Chinese culture. Before the Second World War, several tank designers tried sloping the armour on experimental tanks. The arrival of the new method for preparing tea also required the creation or use of new vessels. Even a simple Molotov cocktail on the engine deck, however, may disable or destroy most tanks. The imperial decree quickly transformed the tea drinking habits of the people, changing from whisked teas to steeped teas.

Aircraft cannon firing armour-piercing ammunition, such as the Hurribomber's 40mm or Stuka's 37mm, could be effective, also. After 1391, Emperor Hung-wu, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, decreed that tributes of tea to the court were to be changed from brick to loose-leaf form. During WW2, aircraft rockets earned a formidable reputation, especially in France after the Normandy landings (Operation Neptune); post-war analysis revealed many reported kills were near-misses. The practice of using powdered tea can still be seen in the Japanese Tea ceremony or Chado. Today, tanks are vulnerable to specialised top-attack missile weapons and air attack. Tea in this period was enjoyed more for its patterns and less for its flavour. World War II American M4 Medium tank crews found the German Tigers to be practically invulnerable from the front, and were forced to employ flank attacks. The patterened holding bowl and tea mixture were often lauded in the period's poetry with phrases such as "partridge in swirling clouds" or "snow on hare's fur".

The sides have less armour and the rear, belly and roof are least protected. The best of these bowls, glazed in patterns with names like oil spot, partridge-feather, hare's fur, and tortoise shell, are highly valued today. The thickest and best-sloped armour is on the glacis plate and the turret front. The ground and whisked teas used at that time called for dark and patterned bowls in which the texture of the tea powder suspension could be enjoyed. Most armoured vehicles are best-protected at the front, and their crews always try to keep them pointed toward the likeliest direction of the enemy. Serving the tea from tea bricks required multiple steps:. The relative effectiveness of armour is expressed by comparison to rolled homogeneous armour. To improve its resiliency as currency, some tea bricks were mixed with binding agents such as blood.

Most armoured fighting vehicles are manufactured of hardened steel plate, or in some cases aluminium. Tea bricks were also sometimes used as currency. The amount of armour needed to protect against all conceivable threats from all angles would be far too heavy to be practical, so when designing an MBT much effort goes into finding the right balance between protection and weight. The pressing of Pu-erh is likely a vestige of this process. Most modern MBTs do offer near complete protection from artillery fragmentation and lighter antitank weapons such as rocket propelled grenades. Upon harvesting, the tea leaves were either partially dried or were thoroughly dried and ground before being pressed into bricks. Tanks are especially vulnerable to airborne threats. Tea served prior to the Ming Dynasty was typically made from tea bricks.

Tanks are also vulnerable to antitank guided missiles; antitank mines, larger bombs, and direct artillery hits, which can disable or destroy them. Historically there were two phases of tea drinking in China based on the form of tea that was produced and consumed, namely: Tea bricks versus Loose Leaf Tea. Commonly, protection against kinetic energy penetrators fired by other tanks is considered the most important. As much as in modern wine tastings, the proper vessel was important and much attention was paid to matching the tea to an esthetically appealing serving vessel. Its armour is designed to protect the vehicle and crew against a wide variety of threats. In China, at least as early as the Tang Dynasty, tea was an object of connoisseurship; in the Song Dynasty formal tea-tasting parties were held, comparable to modern wine tastings. The main battle tank is the most heavily armoured vehicle in modern armies. Finally there are the tea vendors, who specialise in the sale of tea leaves, pots, and other related paraphernalia.

The United States has abandoned this concept, phasing the M551 and M60A2 out of their forces in favour of helicopters and aircraft for long range anti-tank roles, but CIS countries continue to employ gun-missile systems in their main battle tanks. They provide a range of Chinese and Japanese tea leaves, as well as tea making accoutrements and a better class of snack food. It also provides the tank with a useful weapon against slow, low-flying airborne targets like helicopters. Formal tea houses also exist. This functionality can extend the effective combat range of the tank beyond the range afforded by conventional shells, depending on the capabilities of the ATGM system. Beginning in the late afternoon, the typical Chinese tea house quickly becomes packed with students and business people, and later at night plays host to insomniacs and night owls simply looking for a place to relax. Some tanks, including the M551 Sheridan, T-72, T-64, T-80, T-90, T-84, and PT-91 can fire ATGMs (anti-tank guided missile) through their gun barrel or from externally mounted launchers. They also serve a variety of tea-friendly and/or tea-related snacks.

Infrared, light-amplification, or thermal night vision equipment is also commonly incorporated. Other examples are the Korean tea ceremony or some traditional ways of brewing tea in Chinese tea culture. Gyroscopes are used to stabilise the main weapon; computers calculate the appropriate elevation and aim-point, taking input from sensors for wind speed, air temperature, humidity, the gun-barrel temperature, warping and wear, the speed of the target (calculated by taking at least two sightings of the target with the range-finder), and the movement of the tank. There are tea ceremonies which have arisen in different cultures, Japan's complex, formal and serene one being the most known. Modern tanks have a variety of sophisticated systems to make them more accurate. It may be drunk early in the day to heighten alertness; it contains theophylline and bound caffeine (sometimes called "theine"), although there are also decaffeinated teas. Most modern main battle tanks in the armies of industrialised countries use laser range-finders but optical and reticule range-finders are still in use in older and less sophisticated vehicles. Tea is often drunk at social events, such as afternoon tea and the tea party.

These were eventually replaced by Laser range-finders. In various places of South America, any tea is referred to as mate. Over time these sights were replaced with stereoscopic range-finders. Perhaps the only place in which a word unrelated to tea is used to describe the beverage is South America (particularly Andean countries), because a similar stimulant beverage, hierba mate, was consumed there long before tea arrived. Consequently, accuracy was limited at long range and concurrent movement and accurate shooting were largely impossible. In North America, the word "chai" is used to refer almost exclusively to the Indian "chai" (or "masala chai") beverage. Range to the target was estimated with the aid of a reticule (markings in the gun sight which are aligned to frame an object of known size, in this case a tank). In Ireland, or at least in Dublin, the term "cha" is sometimes used for tea, with "tay" as a common pronunciation throughout the land, and "char" was a common slang term for tea throughout British Empire and Commonwealth military forces in the 19th and 20th centuries, crossing over into civilian usage.

Historically, tank weapons were aimed through simple optical sights and laid onto target by hand, with windage estimated or assisted with a reticule. For example, most British trade went through Canton, which uses cha.. These specialised weapons are now usually mounted on the chassis of an armoured personnel carrier. It is tempting to correlate these names with the route that was used to deliver tea to these cultures, but this correspondence does not follow. Some tanks have been adapted to specialised roles and have had unusual main armament such as flame-throwers. Those that use Cha or Chai derivatives include Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Bangla, Croatian, Czech ('čaj'), Greek, Hindi, Japanese ('茶', 'ちゃ', 'cha'), Korean, Malayalam, Nepali ('chia'), Persian, Portuguese ('chá'), Romanian ('ceai'), Russian, ('чай', 'chai'), Serbian, Slovak, Slovene, ('čaj'), Swahili, Tagalog, Thai, Tibetan, Turkish ('çay'), Ukrainian, and Vietnamese ('trà' and 'chè' are both direct derivatives of the Chinese 茶; the latter term is used mainly in the north). The 12.7-mm and 14.5-mm machine guns commonly carried on US and Russian tanks and the French Leclerc are also capable of destroying lightly-armoured vehicles at close range. Languages that have Te derivatives include Afrikaans ('tee'), Armenian, Catalan ('te'), Danish ('te'), Dutch ('thee'), English ('tea'), Esperanto ('teo'), Estonian ('tee'), Faroese, Finnish ('tee'), French ('thé'), Galician ('té'), German ('Tee'), Hebrew ('תה', /te/ or /tei/), Hungarian ('tea'), Icelandic, Indonesian ('teh'), Italian ('tè'), Latvian, Malay, Norwegian ('te'), Polish ('herbata' from Latin 'herba the'), Singhalese, Spanish ('té'), Swedish ('te'), Tamil ('thè'), Yiddish ( 'טיי', /tei/), and scientific Latin.

Additionally, many tanks carry a roof-mounted or commander's cupola machine gun for close-in ground or limited air defence. Yet another different pronunciation is 'zoo', used in the Wu dialect spoken around Shanghai. However, a couple of French tanks such as the AMX-30 and AMX-40 carry a coaxial 20mm cannon that has a high rate of fire and can destroy lightly armoured vehicles. The other is 'cha', used by the Cantonese dialect spoken around the ports of Guangzhou (Canton) and Hong Kong, as well as in the Mandarin dialect of northern China. Typically, this is a small calibre (7.62 to 12.7 mm) machine gun mounted coaxially with the main gun. One is 'te' (POJ: tê) which comes from the Min Nan dialect spoken around the port of Xiamen (Amoy). Usually, tanks carry other armament for short range defence against infantry or targets where the use of the main weapon would be ineffective or wasteful. Two pronunciations have made their way into other languages around the world.

This uneven cooling will cause the barrel to bend slightly and will affect long range accuracy. The Chinese character for tea is 茶, but it is pronounced very differently in the various Chinese dialects. For instance, if it were to rain on a tank barrel the top would cool faster than the bottom, or a breeze on the left might cause the left side to cool faster then the right. Tea farmers in the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China often enjoy better incomes compared to farmers in black tea producing countries. Modern tank guns are generally fitted with thermal jackets which reduce the effect of uneven temperature on the barrel. These days, contradicting tea economies do exist. The British Army and the Indian Army are now the only ones to field main battle tanks carrying rifled guns. Similarly, Britons slowed their consumption of coffee.

Smoothbore (rather than rifled) guns are the dominant type of gun today. After the protests against the various taxes, Americans stopped drinking tea as an act of patriotism. Some tanks can fire missiles through the gun. In Britain, coffee was more popular. Tank guns have been able to fire many types of rounds, but their current use is commonly limited to kinetic energy (KE) penetrators and high explosive (HE) rounds. Prior to the Boston Tea Party, residents of Britain's North American 13 colonies drank far more tea than coffee. The current common sizes are 120mm calibre for Western tanks and 125mm for Eastern (Soviet and Chinese legacy) tanks. The Boston Tea Party was an act of uprising in which Boston residents destroyed crates of British tea in 1773, in protest against British tea and taxation policy.

Although the calibre has not changed substantially since the end of the Second World War, modern guns are technologically superior. They also tried to balance the trade deficit by selling opium to the Chinese, which later led to the First Opium War in 1838–1842. Tank guns are among the largest-calibre weapons in use on land, with only a few artillery pieces being larger. The British set up tea plantations in colonial India to provide their own supply. The main weapon of any modern tank is a single large gun. The high demand for tea in Britain caused a huge trade deficit with China. Examples of how di