M1 Abrams

The M1 Abrams is a modern main battle tank used by the United States. It is also exported to several countries. It is a well armed, well protected, and fast tank designed for modern armored ground warfare. Notable features of the M1 Abrams include the use of a powerful engine, layered armor, and a low profile. It is one of the heaviest tanks in service, weighing almost 70 short tons.

M1 Abrams
M1A2 Abrams
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1980–present
Used by	United States Egypt Iraq Saudi Arabia Kuwait
Wars	Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) War in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom)
Production history
Designer	Chrysler Defense
Manufacturer	United States
Unit cost	US$6 million
No. built	Over 10,000
Variants	XM1, prototype M1, first production model M1A1, bigger gun M1A2, technology upgrades
Specifications
Mass	67.6 Short Tons
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	Composite, Steel, depleted uranium mesh
Main armament	105 mm rifled cannon (M1) 120 mm 120 mm smoothbore cannon (M1A1, M1A2)
Secondary armament	1 x 12.7 mm machine gun 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns
Engine	multi-fuel turbine engine 1,500 shp (1,120 kW)
Power/weight	24.5 hp/metric ton
Suspension	Torsion bar
Ground clearance	0.48 m (1 ft 7 in) (M1, M1A1) 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in) (M1A2)
Fuel capacity	500 us gallons
Operational range	280 mi
Maximum speed	Road: 42 mph (67.7 km/h) Off-road: 30 mph (48.3 km/h)

The M1 Abrams entered U.S. service in 1980, replacing the M60 Patton. Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection and electronics. These improvements, as well as periodic upgrades to older tanks have allowed this long-serving vehicle to remain in front-line service. The M1A3 is currently under development. It is the principal (main) main battle tank of the United States Army and Marine Corps, and the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and in 2010 Iraq. The M1 Abrams is anticipated to be in U.S. service until the 2050s.

M1 Abrams Media

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  The Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL) used computerized tools during the development of the M1, which led to the development of BRL-CAD. Here, a Vector General 3D graphics terminal displays a model of the M1.

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  The finalized M1 prototype

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  M1 Abrams 105 mm main battle tanks maneuver into firing positions during Exercise REFORGER '85.

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  An early production XM-1 tank during field trials in 1979.

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  Abrams tanks move out on a mission during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. A Bradley IFV and a logistics convoy can be seen in the background.

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  A destroyed M1A1, hit in the rear grill by a Hellfire missile and penetrated by a sabot tank round from the left side to right (see exit hole) in Operation Desert Storm, 1991

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  M1A1 tank beside the burning compound of the Waco Siege.

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  An Abrams crossing the Euphrates River at Objective Peach on ribbon assault float bridge deployed by the 299th Engineer Company in 2003

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  A M1A1 conducts reconnaissance in Iraq, September 2004.

• M1 Abrams during a U.S. Army firing exercise, displaying internal crew cabin operations

References

• King of the Killing Zone by Orr Kelly, 1989. W.W. Norton Company.
• Rostker, Bernard: Environmental Exposure Report:Depleted Uranium in the Gulf. DoD Publication, 1998.[1] Archived 2010-06-03 at the Wayback Machine.
• United States General Accounting Office:Operation Desert Storm: Early Performance Assessment of Bradley and Abrams. Washington, January 1992.PDF.
• Halberstadt, Hans. Desert Storm Ground War. Osceola, WI, Motorbooks International, 1991. 128 pp.
• Hilmes, Rolf (1 December 2004). "Arming Future MBTs - Some Considerations". Military Technology. Mönsch.
• Hunnicutt, R. P. "Patton: A History of the American Main Battle Tank." 1984, Presidio Press; ISBN 0-89141-230-1.
• Forty, George: Tank Action. From the Great War to the Gulf, Allan Sutton Publishing Ltd., Phoenix Mill 1995.
• Zaloga Steven J., & Sarson, Peter: M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 1982-1992. Osprey Military, New Vanguard. Reed International Books Ltd, 1993.
• "M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank". FAS Military Analysis Network. Retrieved January 17, 2004.
• "TUSK to update Abrams for urban battle". Army News Service. Archived from the original on March 16, 2005. Retrieved April 6, 2005.
• Army Times - Two soldiers die in attack on Abrams tank, October 29, 2003 Archived December 9, 2012, at Archive.today
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Army Casualty - Dec 25, 2005 attack
• DoD News: DoD Identifies Army Casualties - June 04, 2006 incident

Other websites

• Abrams U.S. Army Fact File
• Official Abrams page on General Dynamics Land Systems site Archived 2008-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
• M1A1/M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank on Army-Technology.com Archived 2005-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
• M1A1/2 Abrams page on the Armor Site Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Main Battle Tank M1A1 Abrams on Enemyforces.com Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
• Anatomy of an M1 Abrams on military.discovery.com
• M1 Abrams page, with a detailed overview of how the tank works on howstuffworks.com
• M-1 Tank Urban Survivability Kit (TUSK) Archived 2006-08-19 at the Wayback Machine, M1A1 AIM Upgrade Archived 2007-10-11 at the Wayback Machine, and M1A2 SEP Upgrade on Defense-Update.com Archived 2007-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
• M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank page on GlobalSecurity.com
• AGT1500 Tubine Technology on Honeywell.com Archived 2016-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
• http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/M1-Abrams-Tanks-for-Iraq-05013/