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Half A Century For The M-1 Abrams
   Next Article → AIR DEFENSE: China Quietly Defends Iran

August 12, 2009: The U.S. Army is planning to maintain its M-1 tanks (up to 7,000 of them) for another twenty years. There is no replacement in sight, and the chances of getting money for a replacement design are, for the near term, slight. The M-1 has already been in service for over two decades, and may become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century.

The electronics on the M-1 have undergone several upgrades so far, in addition to the larger main gun. More equipment has been added for urban warfare (an outside phone, cameras, reactive armor side panels, thermal sights and shields for the external machine-guns) and new ammo types for the main gun have been developed. A major enhancement was depleted uranium armor, which made the M-1 virtually invulnerable from the front.

The one remaining item in need of improvement is the 1500 horsepower gas turbine engine. Improvements here included electronic monitors on many engine components, an electronic logbook (to record all pertinent engine activity) and a maintenance program that makes the most of all this data. Because the engine is being monitored so closely and constantly, it's possible to carry out maintenance in a more timely (before something fails) manner. The army would also like to develop an improved (more efficient and less expensive to maintain) engine, but that is also a costly item they can't afford at the moment.

New anti-tank weapons are always being developed, and the army wants to at least be able to afford new gear to deal with new threats. One threat that is currently ignored is top attack warheads (that put a shape charge type attack against the thin top armor). There are also new types of mines and electronic threats. If the M-1 is to survive for half a century, it will have to evolve, as well as endure.

Next Article → AIR DEFENSE: China Quietly Defends Iran
  

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LB    Thank You For Playing   8/12/2009 3:09:04 PM
The Leopard 2 will clearly be serving just as long and entered service the year before the M1 so the facts of this article are wrong.
 
The US Army eventually needs to replace the M1 and M2/M3 which it originally planned to do with FCS.  If the magic armor from the FCS program actually exists then not designing new armored vehicles with this armor will result in young Americans dying in combat on behalf of the nation that could have been saved through this superior protection. 
 
 
 
 
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JFKY       8/12/2009 3:36:11 PM
But since this "magic armour" DOESN'T exist LB, we aren't condemning nay young Americans, young Americans, (all night, she wants the young Americans) to death....but thank you for playing.
 
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Toosh       8/12/2009 5:43:15 PM

The Leopard 2 will clearly be serving just as long and entered service the year before the M1 so the facts of this article are wrong.
 

 


 




You must not be very smart or have poor reading comprehension. The article said; "The M-1 has already been in service for over two decades, and MAY become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century." Of course, the MAY means depending on what others do. In this case, the Loepard.  I hate it when I have to spoon feed fools.
 
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CptQ       8/12/2009 7:13:36 PM
It might be a good idea to engineer an alternate diesel engine power pack for the M-1.  You could have the turbine engine for situations and conflicts which requite that type of powerplant but have a more fuel saving diesel option available if the conflict required longer legs and longer supply lines.
 
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Whispering Death       8/12/2009 7:50:17 PM

It might be a good idea to engineer an alternate diesel engine power pack for the M-1.  You could have the turbine engine for situations and conflicts which requite that type of powerplant but have a more fuel saving diesel option available if the conflict required longer legs and longer supply lines.
I imagine redesigning and replacing an entire engine system would probobly negate any cost advantages a change in engine type would provide.
And the previous poster is correct, FCS was cancelled for the same reason Land Warrior and OICW were cancelled, because their amazing promises were based on imaginary components.  If you have these fantasy technologies, sure, it's a great idea to use them.  But turns out even a $50 billion budget can't turn all fantasies into reality. (bad news for my fantasy about dating Charlize Theron)

I am bullish about the prospects of the tank after seeing the advancements in APS technologies.  I used to be very skeptical of APS technologies but the Quick Kill, Trophy, and Iron Fist systems seem to be very mature.  Plus, the over 105 successful uses of C-RAM in Iraq prove it isn't fantasy to shoot down incomming rounds mid-air.
 
With strong APS technologies, ECM packages, and Chobham/depleted uranium armor to stop what makes it through, the tank could become as formidible of a weapon as ever.
 
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Nasty German Idiot       8/12/2009 8:19:38 PM




The Leopard 2 will clearly be serving just as long and entered service the year before the M1 so the facts of this article are wrong.

 



 






 











You must not be very smart or have poor reading comprehension. The article said; "The M-1 has already been in service for over two decades, and MAY become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century." Of course, the MAY means depending on what others do. In this case, the Loepard.  I hate it when I have to spoon feed fools.

My personal bet is that the Leopard 1 (which was introduced in 1965 and is still in service in a lot of nations) will beat both M1 and Leopard 2 when it comes to full "historcial" service time.  Brasil just bought some that will be used for at least 10 years, which would put the Leopard 1 to more than 55+ years service time.
 
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StevoJH       8/12/2009 11:07:03 PM

My personal bet is that the Leopard 1 (which was introduced in 1965 and is still in service in a lot of nations) will beat both M1 and Leopard 2 when it comes to full "historcial" service time.  Brasil just bought some that will be used for at least 10 years, which would put the Leopard 1 to more than 55+ years service time.


Centurion has already been in service for 50 year, most notworthy examples would be the upgraded Oliphant's in South Africa. Chieftan was introduced at about the same time as Leopard 1 and is still in service in Iran, not sure about if it is still in service elsewhere.
 
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RtWingCon    time is relative   8/13/2009 1:15:53 AM
Does it matter if a tank type is in service for 50+yrs if it never or rarely (centurions/chieftans excluded) gets used in combat? Only for the History Channel. The important part of the article is the M1 is capable of meeting the needs of the military with continuing upgrades. A combat proven platform. Should it have to prove that again in the future, its legacy will be unmatched.
 
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LB    Magic Armor   8/13/2009 4:03:14 AM
FCS ran for 10 years being first introduced by then Chief of Staff of the Army Gen Shinseki.  The US Army worked initially with Darpa on conceptual design.  FCS entered system development in May 2003.  If there is no magic armor there certainly should be something a bit more than marginally better than what we use today given the size, length, and breadth of the FCS program.
 
In any case Germany and Israel, among others, seem to have managed to provide their mechanized infantry with new infantry carriers offering significantly better protection than the M2.  Not providing adequate replacement for the M1 and M2/M3 given the increased lethality and increasingly urban nature of modern combat will get some of our boys killed.  Germany, Israel, Russia, among others, all are fielding heavier and better protected infantry carriers. 
 
The replacement program was cancelled.  It does not mean the equipment does not still need eventual replacement.

But since this "magic armour" DOESN'T exist LB, we aren't condemning nay young Americans, young Americans, (all night, she wants the young Americans) to death....but thank you for playing.
 
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LB    Courtesy   8/13/2009 4:15:40 AM
Thank you for your polite and courteous reply.  In point of fact saying it may be first is not supportable given it's contemporary, the Leopard 2, entered service the year prior to the M1 and as others have noted tanks like the Centurion already did serve more than 50 years.  Perhaps it's different where you live but it's often true that one can easily spot "fools" simply by their lack of courtesy and manners.  




The Leopard 2 will clearly be serving just as long and entered service the year before the M1 so the facts of this article are wrong.

 



 






 











You must not be very smart or have poor reading comprehension. The article said; "The M-1 has already been in service for over two decades, and MAY become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century." Of course, the MAY means depending on what others do. In this case, the Loepard.  I hate it when I have to spoon feed fools.
 
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