M1A1 Abrams
| M1 Abrams | |
|---|---|
 M1A2 Abrams with prototype TUSK equipment and Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station (CROWS), with 0.50 caliber machine gun at the commander's station
|
|
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1980–present |
| Used by | See Operators below |
| Wars |
Persian Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Iraqi Civil War Saudi Arabian–led intervention in Yemen |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) |
| Designed | 1972–1979 |
| Manufacturer |
Lima Army Tank Plant (since 1980) Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant (1982–1996) |
| Unit cost | US$6.21 million (M1A2 / FY99) Estimated in 2016 as US$8.92 million (with inflation adjustment) |
| Produced | 1979–present |
| No. built | approx. 10,000 |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | M1: 60 short tons (54 t) M1A1: 63 short tons (57 t) M1A2: 72 short tons (65 t) |
| Length | Gun forward: 32.04 ft (9.77 m) Hull length: 26.02 ft (7.93 m) |
| Width | 12 ft (3.66 m) |
| Height | 8 ft (2.44 m) |
| Crew | 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver) |
|
|
|
| Armor |
M1, M1A1: Burlington composite armor |
|
Main
armament |
M1: 105 mm L/52 M68 rifled gun (55 rounds) M1A1: 120 mm L/44 M256A1 smoothbore gun (40 rounds) M1A2: 120 mm L/44 M256A1 smoothbore gun (42 rounds) |
|
Secondary
armament |
1 × .50-caliber (12.7 mm) M2HB heavy machine gun with 900 rounds 2 × 7.62 mm (.308 in) M240 machine guns with 10,400 rounds (1 pintle-mounted, 1 coaxial) |
| Engine |
Honeywell AGT1500C multi-fuel turbine engine 1,500 shp (1,120 kW) |
| Power/weight | From 26.9 hp/t (20.05 kW/t) to 23.8 hp/t (17.74 kW/t) |
| Transmission | Allison DDA X-1100-3B |
| Suspension | High-hardness-steel torsion bars with rotary shock absorbers |
| Ground clearance | M1, M1A1: 0.48 m (1 ft 7 in) M1A2: 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 500 US gallons (1,900 l; 420 imp gal) |
|
Operational
range |
M1A2: 426 km (265 mi) |
| Speed | M1A1: Road 45 mph (72 km/h) (governed); Off-road: 30 mph (48 km/h) M1A2: Road 42 mph (67 km/h) (governed); Off-road: 25 mph (40 km/h) |
M1, M1A1: Burlington composite armor
M1A1HA, M1A2: depleted uranium mesh-reinforced composite armor
The M1 Abrams is an American third-generation main battle tank. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army chief of staff and commander of United States military forces in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. Highly mobile, designed for modern armored ground warfare, the M1 is well armed and heavily armored. Notable features include the use of a powerful multifuel turbine engine, the adoption of sophisticated composite armor, and separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment for crew safety. Weighing nearly 68 short tons (almost 62 metric tons), it is one of the heaviest main battle tanks in service.
The M1 Abrams entered U.S. service in 1980, replacing the M60 tank. The M1 remains the principal main battle tank of the United States Army and Marine Corps, and the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Iraq.
Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection, and electronics. These improvements and other upgrades to in-service tanks have allowed this long-serving vehicle to remain in front-line service. In addition, development for the improved M1A3 version was reported in 2009.
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Wikipedia