The Army’s Next-Generation Combat Vehicle program is focused on building lighter weight, artificial-intelligence-enabled more … It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of U.S. military forces in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. Although the L11/M256 120mm gun was chosen to be the main weapon of the M1 Abrams in 1979, the improved ammunition for the gun still was not fully developed, thus delaying its fielding until 1984. Tags: M1 Abrams Military Army Troops Technology Tanks What Comes After the M1 Abrams … It contains 1,098 3⁄8-inch (9.5 mm) tungsten balls that spread from the muzzle to produce a shotgun effect lethal out to 600 meters (2,000 ft). The M1 Abrams in reality. More info. … In late 2010, at the request of Regional Command Southwest, the U.S. Marine Corps deployed a small detachment of 14 M1A1 Abrams tanks from Delta Company, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Forward),[62] to southern Afghanistan in support of operations in Helmand and Kandahar provinces. in 3 000 rate/minute. First upgraded tank was delivered in 1999. In addition to offering better overall performance, there were concerns about Chrysler's engine both from a reliability and fuel consumption standpoint. Main armament: 120 mm L/44 M256A1 smoothbore gun (42 rounds) 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore gun with 43 rounds (T-90) Engine: Honeywell AGT1500C … [56][57][58], Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite Kata'ib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) reported to operate M1 Abrams, and released publicity showing the tanks being transported by trucks to take part in the battle of Mosul. In addition to the armor, some USMC Abrams tanks are equipped with a Softkill Active protection system, the AN/VLQ-6 Missile Countermeasure Device (MCD) that can impede the function of guidance systems of some semi-active control line-of-sight (SACLOS) wire- and radio guided anti-tank missiles (such as the Russian 9K114 Shturm) and infrared homing missiles. The HULL is a little over 26 feet long and the turret is about 6 feet less than that including the bustle rack length. [32] An improved model called the M1IP was produced briefly in 1984 and contained small upgrades. While the reactive armor may not be needed in most situations, like those present in maneuver warfare, items like the rear slat armor, loader's gun shield, infantry phone (which saw use on Marine Corps M1A1s as early as 2003), and Kongsberg Remote Weapons Station for the 12.7 mm (.50 in) caliber machine gun will be added to the entire M1A2 fleet over time. The M1A2 SEPv2 (version 2) added Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS or CROWS II) support, color displays, better interfaces, a new operating system, better front and side armor, and an upgraded transmission for better durability. The Abrams is protected by Chobham composite armor. [30] The M1 Abrams was the first vehicle to adopt Chobham armor. Weight: 0.35 kg: Dimensions: 29.7 × 21 × 0.6 cm: Reviews There are no reviews yet. The new APU will also be more fuel efficient than the tank's main engine. The M1A2 SEP TUSK Abrams and a modernized M1 Abrams … [127] It also featured a 33% reduction in fuel consumption (50% less when idle) and near drop-in replacement. 3,273 M1 Abrams were produced 1979-85 and first entered US Army service in 1980. [125] The turbine is very quiet when compared to diesel engines of similar power output and produces a significantly different sound from a contemporary diesel tank engine, reducing the audible distance of the sound, thus earning the Abrams the nickname "whispering death" during its first Reforger exercise. Not only was this first experimental modification of the M1 Abrams going to mount and test the German 120 mm smoothbore, but there were other plans too. Nine ECP1A prototypes have been produced as of October 2014. Colonel George Mohrmann prepared a stack of letters informing Congress of the decision to move ahead with the GM design. document.cookie = "__adblocker=; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT; path=/"; M1 Abrams description. to meet future threats and stay up to date. [136][137], M1A1 AIM/SA: Depleted uranium inserts in hull and turret, Improved Chobham armor and increased turret armor Additions of ARAT ERA, slat armor Some tanks being equipped with Trophy APS, "M1 Tank" redirects here. The improved engine and tracks are not part of an Army upgrade program, but may be included in a near-term engineering change proposal (ECP) phase.[131][132]. [9] Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest tanks in service at nearly 68 short tons (almost 62 metric tons), it introduced several innovative features, including a multifuel turbine engine, sophisticated Chobham composite armor, a computer fire control system, separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment, and NBC protection for crew safety. It is also an upgrade package for the older Abrams tanks. By Jared Keller December 20, 2020 Military Tech News SHARE. There is still risk of production gaps even with production extended through 2015; with funds awarded before recapitalization is needed, budgetary pressures may push planned new upgrades for the Abrams from 2017 to 2019. [67][68] Specifically, GDLS estimated that closing the plant would cost $380 million and restarting production would cost $1.3 billion. The tungsten balls can be used to clear enemy dismounts, break up hasty ambush sites in urban areas, clear defiles, stop infantry attacks and counter-attacks and support friendly infantry assaults by providing covering fire. I’ve tried to do this, in War Thunder. [98] However, the toxicity of Halon 1301 gas at 7% concentration is much less than the combustion products produced by fire in the crew compartment, and CO2 dump would be lethal to the crew. Ceramics have the ability to absorb a great deal of heat, and can blunt physical blows by cracking and deflecting the force. Several Abrams tanks that were irrecoverable due to loss of mobility or other circumstances were destroyed by friendly forces, usually by other Abrams tanks, to prevent their capture. After head-to-head testing between the Royal Ordnance L11A5 and the Rheinmetall Rh-120, the latter was chosen. Since the first M1 tanks entered service in 1980, they have been constantly upgraded, with the final version, the MIA2 boasting a larger gun, better armour and improved computer systems. Armor upgrades include reactive armor on the sides of the tank and slat armor (similar to that on the Stryker) on the rear to protect against rocket-propelled grenades and other shaped charge warheads. [94], For the M1A1HA, Zaloga gives a frontal armor estimate of 600 mm vs APFSDS and 1300 mm vs HEAT in M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 1982–1992, nearly double the original protection of the Abrams. M1 Abrams; Type: Main battle tank: Main battle tank: Origin: Germany: USA: Produced: 1979: 1980: Unit cost: 5.74 million $ (2A6) 8.58 million $ (2012) More: Description, operators : Description, operators: Specifications. The Bushmaster was seen as superfluous and was replaced with a M240 machine gun, the US version of the FN MAG. At that time, the service was seeking a lighter tank version with the same protection as current versions. [80], Additionally an all new version for the U.S. Army has been in planning and development for several years.[81]. They were surprised when Clements and Currie criticized their decision and demanded the turbine be selected. The M829A2 APFSDS round was developed specifically as an immediate solution to address the improved protection of a Russian T-72, T-80U or T-90 main battle tank equipped with Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor (ERA) as previous rounds were found to be incapable of defeating such armor. After several rounds of input, the decision was made to provide armor to defeat the "heavy threat" posed by the T-62's 115 mm gun using projected improvements of their APFSDS ammunition through the 1980s, and the new 125 mm gun of the T-64 and T-72 firing high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. For example, a few months ago, GDLS was awarded a $358 million contract for 150 M1A1 SA Abrams tanks. [31] The M1 was armed with the license-built M68A1 version of the 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 gun. Despite its 63-ton weight, the M-1A1 can attain a top speed of 45 miles per hour. Additionally, the M1A3 may incorporate a new generation of advanced networking capabilities and enhanced armor protection. [46][verification needed]. D Jan 1987 | Military and Government Specs & Standards (Naval Publications and Form Center) (NPFC). The most prominent of which is the turret front changing from vertical to sloped armor. [64][65][66], The U.S. Army planned to end production at the Lima Army Tank Plant from 2013 to 2016 in an effort to save over $1 billion; it would be restarted in 2017 to upgrade existing tanks. There was a strong movement within the Army to get a new design within budget to prevent the MBT-70 experience from repeating itself. [102] The MCD works by emitting a massive, condensed infrared signal to confuse the infrared homing seeker of an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). [113], The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) conducted a thermal analysis of the M256 from 2002 to 2003 to evaluate the potential of using a hybrid barrel system that would allow for multiple weapon systems such as the XM1111 Mid- Range munition, airburst rounds, or XM 1147. The loader's M240 machine gun is aimed either with the built-in iron sights or with a thermal scope mounted on the machine gun. First world main battle tank fitted with such engine was T-80, entered service in Soviet Armed Forces in 1976. Furthermore 400 … The Tank, Combat, Full Tracked, 120-mm Gun M1A1 (shortened to M1A1 Abrams) is a rank VII American medium tank with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB/RB/SB).It was introduced in Update 1.87 "Locked On".. General info Survivability and armour. It also has greater torque, an altered nuclear, biological, and chemical protection system that operates independently of the engine, uses less fuel while idle, is quieter, and gives off significantly less heat and pollutants. [citation needed] As a counter to that, the Russian army introduced Relikt, the most modern Russian ERA, which is claimed to be twice as effective as Kontakt-5. The weight. When activated, fuel is sprayed into the hot turbine exhaust, creating the thick smoke. The M1A1 was revealed in 1985 with production commencing the same year. OKs possible $2 billion Abrams tank sale to Taiwan", "Environmental Exposure Report: Depleted Uranium in the Persian Gulf (II)", Army Times – Two soldiers die in attack on Abrams tank, 29 October 2003, Abrams Tank Fact File for the United States Army, M1A1 main battle tank on armyrecognition.com, M1 Abrams page, with a detailed overview of how the tank works on howstuffworks.com, M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank page on GlobalSecurity.org, AGT1500 Turbine Technology on Honeywell.com, Main Battle Tank M1A1 Abrams on Enemyforces.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=M1_Abrams&oldid=996134498, Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Articles with dead external links from May 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from May 2016, CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from June 2019, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Articles with failed verification from December 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2019, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from October 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2008, Articles with self-published sources from July 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2018, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2016, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from October 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 4 (commander/machine gunner, gunner, loader, driver), From 26.9 hp/t (20.05 kW/t) to 23.8 hp/t (17.74 kW/t), 504.4 US gallons (1,909 l; 420.0 imp gal), Longer turret for thicker composite array, Depleted uranium inserts in hull and turret. (1990). A hydropneumatic suspension provided excellent cross-country ride quality and also allowed the entire tank to be raised or lowered by the driver, with the lowest position placing the top of the tank only 6 feet (1.8 m) off the ground. By 1969, the unit cost stood at five times the original estimates. All have different weights but fire from the same 120mm cannon (like the M1A1 Abrams main gun). The M256A1 is a variant of the Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 gun carried on the German Leopard 2 on all variants up to the Leopard 2A5. This succeeded only in producing an expensive system with capabilities similar to the M60. M1 Abrams. The GM design used a new variable-compression Diesel design which proved to be problematic. On city maps or paved surfaces, an M1 Abrams can easily reach its top speed of 45 miles an ho… [61], Tanks may have limited utility in Afghanistan due to the mountainous terrain, although Canada and Denmark have deployed Leopard 1 and 2 MBTs that have been specially modified to operate in the relatively flat and arid conditions of southwestern Afghanistan. During three months, about one-third of the Iraqi Army's M1 tanks had been damaged or destroyed by ISIL and some were captured by opposing forces. [10][79][needs update] In March 2017, it was reported that the new version, the M1A2 SEP v4, is to begin testing in 2021. The M1 Garand Rifles and M1 Steel Pots where manufactured in 1941 and fielded in 1942. This device is mounted on the turret roof in front of the loader's hatch, and can lead some people to mistake Abrams tanks fitted with these devices for the M1A2 version, since the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer on the latter is mounted in the same place, though the MCD is box-shaped and fixed in place as opposed to cylindrical and rotating like the CITV. script.setAttribute("onerror", "setNptTechAdblockerCookie(true);"); A total of 1,848 M1A1s were deployed to Saudi Arabia to participate in the liberation of Kuwait. [35] The T-72s, like most Soviet export designs, lacked night vision systems and then-modern rangefinders, though they did have some night-fighting tanks with older active infrared systems or floodlights. The M1 Panther II uses a modified hull of the M1 Abrams main battle tank. [16], To this end, a new design basis emerged in February 1973, LK 10372. M1 Abrams New. The ballistic solution generated ensures a hit percentage greater than 95 percent at nominal ranges. A total of 240 M1A2 SEP tanks were newly built. These upgrades also provided the M1A2 with an improved fire control system. M1 Abram = 60-69 Tons USS Missouri = 40 Tons How does a tank weigh more? [86], Similar to most other main battle tanks, the M1 Abrams feature composite armor only on the frontal aspect of the hull. Following the Battle of Mogadishu, 18 M1 tanks were airlifted by C-5 aircraft to Somalia from Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. [12][failed verification], The resulting design, the MBT-70, incorporated new technologies across the board. [88], Armor protection was improved by implementing a new special armor incorporating depleted uranium and other undisclosed materials and layouts. He also gives the Soviet estimates for the M1A1, 600 mm vs APFSDS, and 700 mm vs HEAT. Range is limited to 290 miles. [22], Prototypes were delivered in 1976 by Chrysler Defense and General Motors (GM) armed with the license-built M68E1 version of the 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7. The tank is 26 feet long, 12 feet wide, and eight feet high. var d = new Date(); Chrysler and GM entered bids.[17]. 1992, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 19:05. The Chrysler design used a gas turbine engine from Lycoming Engines, the AGT1500, which had extensive heat recovery systems in an attempt to improve its fuel economy to something similar to a traditional internal combustion engine. Some Abrams tanks were also fitted with a secondary storage bin on the back of the existing bustle rack on the rear of the turret (referred to as a bustle rack extension) to enable the crew to carry more supplies and personal belongings. [59], One Iraqi-operated Abrams has been nicknamed "The Beast" after it became the lone working tank when taking back the town of Hit in April 2016, destroying enemy fighting positions and IED emplacements. Some units painted their M1s with the older Mobility Equipment Research and Design Command (MERDC) 4-color paint scheme but the turn-in requirements for these tanks requi… Several images taken at a U.S. Army workshop show a very rough idea of a possible replacement for the long-serving M1 Abrams tank. However, due to the change from diesel as a primary fuel to the use of JP-8, this system is disabled on most Abrams tanks today because of a slightly elevated risk of fire damage to the engine compartment. 584392 | Desert Tan; A Co., 8 TB, II MEB (TF Tarawa) | Iraq 2003 | NATO Three-Color; D Co., 1 TB, 1 Marines Div. By the spring of 1977, the decision to choose the GM design was largely complete. In an urban environment, attacks can come from any direction, and attackers can get close enough to reliably hit weak points in the tank's armor or gain sufficient elevation to hit the top armor. [71][72], In late 2016, tank production/refurbishment had fallen to a rate of one per month with less than 100 workers on site. The Abrams uses a manual loader. It was introduced in Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm". Called the Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) round, it will have point detonation, delay, and airburst modes through an ammunition data-link and a multi-mode, programmable fuse in a single munition. "[17] However, the Chrysler design had the advantage that the entire power pack had room to be replaced by any number of engine designs, including a Diesel if needed. Presidio. [4], Examining the experiences of the Yom Kippur War that year, a number of design changes were made. [124] The engine burns more than 1.67 US gallons (6.3 L) per mile (60 US gallons (230 L) per hour) when traveling cross-country and 10 US gallons (38 L) per hour when idle. Adaptations before the Persian Gulf War (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm) gave the vehicle better firepower and NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) protection. It consisted of an arrangement of metal plates, ceramic blocks and open space. Congress and General Dynamics were criticized for redirecting money to keep production lines open and accused of "forcing the Army to buy tanks it didn't need." p. 82. These were fitted on the sides and rear of the turret, with flat panels equipped with a four-cornered 'box' image on either side of the turret front. [32] This was introduced into the M1A1 production starting October 1988. [citation needed], In late 2017, the 400 USMC M1A1 Abrams will be upgraded with better and longer-range sights on the Abrams integrated display and targeting system (AIDATS) replacing the black-and-white camera view with a color one and adding day/night thermal sights, simplified handling with a single set of controls, and a slew to cue button that repositions the turret with a single command. Here comes the M1A2C. M1A2 Abrams, like other modern tanks in the world, carry both Armor Piercing, High Explosive and Shaped Charge (actually, some tank didn’t have their own HEAT or HE, but since AP is standard meaning that all must have it). [104] It is planned for up to 261 Abrams to be upgraded with the system, enough for four brigades. The limited capacity (two combat-ready tanks in a C-5, one combat-ready tank in a C-17) caused serious logistical problems when deploying the tanks for the first Persian Gulf War, though there was enough time for 1,848 tanks to be transported by ship. Name: M1 Abrams T-90; Type: Main battle tank: Main battle tank: Origin: USA: Russia: Produced: 1980: 1992: Unit cost: 8.58 million $ (2012) 4.5 million $ (T-90MS) More: [75], The M1A2 SEP TUSK Abrams and a modernized M1 Abrams were included in the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Analysis of Alternatives (AOA). It is planned that the fleet of refurbished and upgraded M1A1 tanks will remain with the US military service until at least 2021. [33] By 1999, costs for the tank were upwards of US$5 million a vehicle. M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank in Action. Abrams: A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Every vehicle has a certain amount of ‘growth potential’ – the amount which it can reasonably be expected to take and accept changes, modifications, adaptations etc. First and foremost, reduce the weight of the Abrams tanks. Armor upgrades include reactive armor on the sides of the tank and slat armor (similar to t M1A2s built for Middle Eastern countries were painted in desert tan. [117], In addition to these, the XM1111 (Mid-Range-Munition Chemical Energy) was also in development. [42] In addition to the Abrams's heavy armament, some crews were also issued M136 AT4 shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons under the assumption that they might have to engage heavy armor in tight urban areas where the main gun could not be brought to bear. Turkey vs Russia. M1A2 Abrams Tank Historyhttps://engineers-channel.blogspot.com/p/abrams-tank-history.htmlMain Battle Tankshttps://engineers-channel.blogspot.com/p/tanks.html That month, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of another 175 Abrams to Iraq. M1 "Abrams" is fitted with AGT-1500 "Avco Lycoming" company engine which has 1 500 h.p. A single tank takes 10 minutes to refuel. From the front an Abrams is immune to any and all tank and anti-tank guns present during WWII. In 2017, the new administration made rebuilding the military a priority. [citation needed], The fire-control system uses this data to compute a firing solution for the gunner. Some, but not all, of these tanks were re-painted to their "authorized" paint scheme. [26] It has a higher chamber pressure,[27] reinforced breach and a higher muzzle velocity. Preliminary testing showed the upgrades reduced target engagement time from six seconds to three by allowing the commander and gunner to work more closely and collaborate better on target acquisition.[121][122]. However, it proved to be inadequate; a cannon with lethality beyond the 1.9-mile (3 km) range was needed to combat newer armor technologies. Prototypes, early production M1 (105 mm gun) and M1-IP models switched to a flat forest green paint scheme. For logistical reasons, JP-8 is the U.S. military's universal fuel powering both aircraft and vehicle fleets. The GM program was also slightly cheaper overall at $208 million compared to $221 million for Chrysler. According to the reports, the Army is seeking to reduce the weight of the vehicle to approximately 60 tons from its current operational weight of roughly 75 tons. My T-34 (1940) was trundling through the streets of Italy (War thunder’s matching system is not very historic) when suddenly I manage to flank an Abrams. Tamiya Modellbausatz im Maßstab 1:35, 35269 ist ein Rebox erschienen im jahr 2003 | Inhalte, Vorschau, Bausatzvorstellungen, Geschichte + Marktplatz | M1 Abrams | EAN: 4950344352692 Of the nine Abrams tanks destroyed, seven were destroyed by friendly fire, and two were purposely destroyed to prevent capture after being damaged. The Abrams can be carried by a C-5 Galaxy or a C-17 Globemaster III. [40] Further upgrades included depleted uranium armor for all variants, a system overhaul that returns all A1s to like-new condition (M1A1 AIM), a digital enhancement package for the A1 (M1A1D), and a commonality program to standardize parts between the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps (M1A1HC). [109] Later, the M829A3 round was introduced to improve its effectiveness against next generation ERA equipped tanks, through usage of a multi-material penetrator and increased penetrator diameter that can resist the shear effect of K-5 type ERA. Name: M1 Abrams T-90; Type: Main battle tank: Main battle tank: Origin: USA: Russia: Produced: 1980: 1992: Unit cost: 8.58 million $ (2012) 4.5 million $ (T-90MS) More: Description, operators: Description, operators: Specifications. [4] In February 1982, General Dynamics Land Systems Division (GDLS) purchased Chrysler Defense, after Chrysler built over 1,000 M1s. [53], In May 2008, it was reported that a U.S. M1 tank had also been damaged in Iraq by insurgent fire of a Soviet-made RPG-29 "Vampir", which uses a tandem-charge high explosive anti-tank warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armor (ERA) as well as composite armor behind it. They contended that the move was to upgrade Army National Guard units to expand a "pure fleet" and maintain production of identified "irreplaceable" subcomponents; a prolonged shutdown could cause their makers to lose their ability to produce them and foreign tank sales were not guaranteed to keep production lines open. Marines transport their Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF)-attached Abrams tanks by combat ship. On 29 August 2006, General Dynamics Land Systems received a U.S. Army order for 505 Tank Urban Survivability Kits (TUSK) for Abrams main battle tanks supporting operations in Iraq, under a US$45 million contract. var script = document.createElement("script"); The M1 is mainly composed of sturdy rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) steel plates, sandwiched around thicker protective material.. When deployed, the grenades airburst, creating a thick smoke that blocks both visual and thermal imaging. Name: M1 Abrams T-80; Type: Main battle tank: Main battle tank: Origin: USA: Russia: Produced: 1980: 1976–1992: Unit cost: 8.58 million $ (2012) 2.2 million $ (1994) China vs United States. The tank was introduced in 1979, entered service in 1980 and is still undergoing production. Chrysler was the only company that appeared to be seriously interested in tank development; the M60 had been lucrative for the company and relied on that program for much of its profit. Vehicles included in the AOA were determined to be inferior to the planned GCV. [1] The U.S. Army Laboratory Command (LABCOM), under the supervision of the United States Army Research Laboratory (ARL), was also heavily involved with designing the tank with M1A1 armor resistant shells, M829A2 armor-penetrating rounds, and improved weapon range. The M1 served during the Gulf War, in Bosnia, in Afghanistan and Iraq. Direct Support, General Support, and Depot Maintenance Manual for Cannon, 105-MM Gun, M68 & M68E1, M116 and 140 Mount TM 9-1000-213-35 by Fred C. (Chief of Staff) Weyand | Jan 1, 1978. Fact file: M1 Abrams The main battle tank of the US Army is the M1 Abrams. [17], On 12 November 1976, the Defense Department awarded a $20 billion development contract to Chrysler.[17]. The M1 proved vastly superior and not a single tank was destroyed by enemy fire. [105][106] In June 2018, the Army awarded Leonardo DRS, U.S. partner to Trophy's designer Rafael, a $193 million contract to deliver the system in support of M1 Abrams "immediate operational requirements. We use cookies to personalise content and ads. The Tank Urban Survival Kit (TUSK) is a series of improvements to the M1 Abrams intended to improve fighting ability in urban environments. The new Joint Assault Bridge keeps mechanized forces rolling onward. [103] The Army plans to field a brigade of over 80 tanks equipped with Trophy to Europe in 2020. [129], General Dynamics has been working on a drop-in diesel engine to replace the gas turbine engine. The tank would be armed with the 105 mm M68 gun, a licensed version of the Royal Ordnance L7, along with a coaxial 20 mm version of the Bushmaster. The ballistic computer manipulates the turret and a complex arrangement of mirrors so that all one has to do is keep the reticle on the target and fire to achieve a hit.