Leonardo da Vinci designed an armored tank as a covered platform surrounded by cannons.
His fighting vehicle was drawn around 1487–1489, probably while Leonardo was seeking military patronage from Ludovico Sforza in Milan. The conical, turtle-like structure was intended to protect soldiers inside while mounted guns fired through openings around its perimeter. It was designed to move with the help of human-powered wheels and internal mechanisms.
The design is often called Leonardo’s tank, although it was never built for Renaissance warfare. A famous drawing contains a gearing problem that would make the proposed vehicle move in the wrong direction if constructed exactly as shown. Historians debate whether this was an intentional security measure, a drafting error, or an unworkable design detail. Unlike a modern tank, Leonardo’s vehicle had no engine, turret, or independently controlled tracks, but its armored body and mobile artillery concept make it a notable precursor to later armored fighting vehicles.