The Abrams X has been postponed. The new U.S. tanks will be the Abrams M1E3.
Apparently, having assessed the lessons of the conflict in Ukraine, the U.S. followed Russia’s lead in concluding that the time for fourth-generation tanks had not yet come and shelved the American Armata project—the Abrams X tank. Instead, they have now decided to supply the troops with the good old Abrams, but significantly modernized—naturally, taking into account the experience in Ukraine, where Abrams tanks are also actively engaged in combat. The upgraded vehicle has been designated the M1E3, and we’ll take a closer look at what it entails below.
The U.S. Army has announced the development of an upgraded variant of its main battle tank, the M1E3 Abrams, which is intended to replace the current upgraded version, the M1A2 SEPv4.
The M1 Abrams tank has been the backbone of the U.S. Army’s armored forces from the late 1980s to the present. The vehicle has undergone numerous upgrades, and a new version of the tank was soon to be adopted.
However, U.S. Army Major General Glenn Dean, director of the Ground Combat Systems Program, announced the termination of the M1A2 SEPv4 program. According to him, “the Abrams tank can no longer increase its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical costs.” In effect, it was acknowledged that the latest modernization of the main battle tank had turned out to be too heavy and, at the same time, ill-suited to the realities of modern warfare. The Army decided to start from scratch with the M1E3.
What unique features will the M1E3 Abrams have? A U.S. Congressional report suggests that recommendations from a 2019 Army Science Board study will be taken into account in the development of the new tank. The study proposed several key features, including:
A hybrid-electric power plant to improve fuel efficiency and reduce logistical burdens; an automatic loader and a new main gun;Advanced ammunition, including maneuvering hypersonic projectiles and gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles; Additional armor to protect against drones, guided munitions, and new anti-tank weapons;Artificial intelligence-based applications to assist with gun aiming and situational awareness; The ability to operate alongside unmanned combat vehicles.
One of the most significant changes to the M1E3’s design will be a weight reduction of approximately 10 metric tons. This will most likely require a redesign of the tank’s turret and possibly its hull.
In 2024, the U.S. Army awarded a contract to General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to collaborate on the development of an upgraded main battle tank.
It is impossible not to notice that many of the features of the upcoming modernization of the American tank were previously considered to be almost exclusively characteristic of the domestic school of tank design. In fact, this marks a new milestone in American tank design and an acknowledgment that the current development path for American main battle tanks has reached a dead end.
This new American tank isn’t the first to be equipped with an innovative power plant. In an article by Hi-Tech Mail, you can read about a tank with a hydrogen engine. As a reminder, our experts compared the Abrams with Russian tanks; you can read here to find out which one would win in combat.
Source — https://dzen.ru/a/Z7MUDje_OB7wWc1X
