In the past thirty years, the Abrams tank has fought insurgents in cities and regular, mechanized armies and everyone in between, from the cities of Iraq to the mountain country of Afghanistan. Army must pretty much plan for any battlefield, on any continent, against all types of enemies. Israel’s Merkava tanks, for example, emphasize firepower and protection over mobility. Other countries favor one quality over another as it suits their battlefield requirements. The M1 Abrams, optimized to fight hordes of Soviet tanks, was a pretty good combination of all three features that didn’t skimp in any particular field-and had the pricetag to show for it. The iron triangle that rules armored vehicle design is firepower, protection, and strategic and tactical mobility. 5 Reasons 'Star Wars' Tanks Make No Sense.Ross Coffman, the head of Army vehicle modernization, says the service is looking at “everything from a ray gun to a Star Wars-like four-legged creature that shoots lasers.” The only key requirement is that it packs the firepower to be the most lethal thing on the battlefield. Over the years, the Abrams has received upgrades including a bigger 120-millimeter M256 gun, new ammunition, depleted uranium armor, and digital networking systems.Īccording to Defense News, Brig. Armed with a 105-millimeter M68 gun, thermal imaging sights, Chobham composite matrix armor and a gas turbine engine, the M1 was a revolutionary tank and a clean break from a dynasty of tanks that stretched back to the closing days of World War II. The M1 Abrams series of tanks entered service in 1981 to counter the Soviet T-64 and T-72 main battle tanks. The service is studying a number of new options for the future and there’s only one key, non-negotiable requirement: Whatever the new vehicle is, it must be the most deadly thing on the battlefield. Army is looking at a new vehicle to replace the M1 Abram main battle tank and warns it could look like practically anything.
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