M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams (/ˈeɪbrəmz/) is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest tanks in service at nearly 68 short tons (62 metric tons), it introduced several modern technologies to United States armored forces, including a multifuel turbine engine, sophisticated Chobham composite armor, a computer fire control system, separate ammunition storage in a blowout compartment, and NBC protection for crew safety. Initial models of the M1 were armed with a 105 mm M68 gun, while later variants feature a license-produced Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 designated M256.
| M1 Abrams | |
|---|---|
U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams with production TUSK explosive reactive armor package installed in Iraq, 2008 | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1980–present |
| Used by | See Operators below |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) |
| Designed | 1972–1975 |
| Manufacturer | Lima Army Tank Plant (since 1980) Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant (1978, 1982–1991) Egyptian Defense Company Tank Plant |
| Unit cost | M1A1: $4.3 million (domestic cost, FY1989) (~$10.66 million, FY2023) M1A2 SEP v3: $24 million (export cost, FY2022) |
| Produced | 1979–present |
| No. built | approx. 10,300 as of 2017 |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | M1: 60 short tons (54 t) M1A1: 63 short tons (57 t) M1A1 SA: 67.6 short tons (61.3 t) M1A2 SEP v2: 71.2 short tons (64.6 t) M1A2 SEP v3: 73.6 short tons (66.8 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) |
| Elevation | +20° / -10° |
| Traverse | 9 seconds/360 degrees |
| Armor | Composite armor |
Main armament | M1: 105 mm L/52 M68A1 rifled gun (55 rounds) M1A1: 120 mm L/44 M256 smoothbore gun (40 rounds) M1A2: 120 mm L/44 M256 smoothbore gun (42 rounds) |
Secondary armament | 1 × 0.50 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 AGT1500 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 (1.6 ft; 19 in) M1A2: 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 504.4 US gallons (1,909 L) |
Operational range | M1A2, road: 265 mi (426 km) Cross country: 93–124 mi (150–200 km) |
| Maximum speed | M1A1, road: 45 mph (72 km/h) (governed); M1A2, road: 42 mph (67 km/h) (governed); Off-road: 25 mph (40 km/h) |
The M1 Abrams was developed from the failed MBT-70 project that intended to replace the obsolete M60 tank. There are three main operational Abrams versions, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, with each new iteration seeing improvements in armament, protection, and electronics.
The Abrams was to be replaced in U.S. Army service by the XM1202 Mounted Combat System, but since that project was canceled, the Army has opted to continue maintaining and operating the M1 series for the foreseeable future by upgrading with improved optics, armor, and firepower.
The M1 Abrams entered service in 1980 and serves as the main battle tank of the United States Army and formerly of the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The export version is used by the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Poland and Iraq. The Abrams was first used in combat by the U.S. in the Gulf War and later, both the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, while other countries deploying Abrams tanks have been Iraq in the war against the Islamic State and Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni Civil War.