LAND FORCES
BREAKING: Ukraine Changes Army’s Thinking About Battle Tanks: New Build Program Announced
Abrams M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 4 tank
Army photo
The Army announced Sept. 6 that it will no longer upgrade its old Abrams Main Battle Tank and that it will build a new fighting vehicle instead.
The Army will close out the M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 4 effort and develop M1E3 Abrams, “which will focus on making the capability improvements needed to fight and win against future threats on the battlefield of 2040 and beyond,” an Army statement said.
Initial operational capability is anticipated in early the 2030s, the statement said.
Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, said: “The war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for soldiers, built from within instead of adding on.”
The Ukraine war has brought the use of loitering munitions, also called kamikaze drones, to the fore as a weapon of choice.
“We appreciate that future battlefields pose new challenges to the tank as we study recent and ongoing conflicts” said Brig. Gen. Geoffrey Norman, director of the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team. “We must optimize the Abrams’ mobility and survivability to allow the tank to continue to close with and destroy the enemy as the apex predator on future battlefields.”
Dean said: “the Abrams Tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical footprint."
Years of testing, analysis, soldier feedback and maturing technology culminated in this strategic decision. The new approach balances costs with the Army’s needs and invests in the nation’s defense industrial base, the statement said.
The Abrams Main Battle Tank is a full-tracked, low-profile, land-combat assault weapon that enables Soldiers to dominate their adversaries through lethal firepower, unparalleled survivability and agile maneuvering. It closes with and destroys the enemy using mobility, firepower and shock effect, the Army said.
The development of the M1E3 Abrams will include the best features of the M1A2 SEPv4 and will comply with the latest modular open systems architecture standards, allowing quicker technology upgrades and requiring fewer resources, the statement said.
“This will enable the Army and its commercial partners to design a more survivable, lighter tank that will be more effective on the battlefield at initial fielding, and more easy to upgrade in the future.” It added.
This modernization will enhance the efficacy and maneuverability of armored brigade combat teams in conflicts across the globe through a reduced sustainment footprint and increased operational and tactical mobility.
The Army will continue to produce the M1A2 SEPv3 at a reduced rate until production transitions to the M1E3 Abrams, and the Army will carry technologies forward into the SEPv4 Abrams modernization effort, the statement said.
Topics: Land Forces, Army News
Comments (7)
Wow just more added nightmares for mechanics
Andrew lee at 11:30 AM
Anyone else get the feeling that military appropriations are being handled by a bunch of precocious 12-year-olds with ADHD who’ve had WAY too much sugar? Anytime I hear words like “future tech,” “AI,” “networked and/or “next gen” I start feeling a little nauseated. I’d be cool with a clean sheet design & I think that it’s probably wise to go lighter with more open architecture, but unless the army wants their new Abrams to go the way of the Zumwalt, LCS, Ford & F-35 they need to stifle the urge to cram it full of untested new technologies & dubious widgets. As a wise man once said, “Skip the spinning rims. We’re on the clock.”
(Also, does the army still want a fleet of tanks with hybrid engines, cause if they do I think they’re going to be in for some rude surprises, especially if they use any kind of lithium chemistry in the battery. Lithium batteries do NOT like to be handled roughly. One of the ways they let you know they’re unhappy with your rough treatment is by auto-ignition. When a lithium battery lights up YOU CAN’T PUT IT OUT. They’re self-oxidizing. They burn until they run out of fuel. You might as well just paint the entire vehicle in thermite.)
Just skip the spinning rims, okay? We’re on the clock…
Graham Strouse at 7:17 PMThe first two paragraphs directly contradict each other. Can't end M1E3 upgrades and then immediately state development of M1E3 will proceed.
John Hbier at 10:17 AMNo longer UPGRADE via ECP process (V3/V4/V5) but will eventually produce a “NEW” M1A3 variant when Type Classified.
The Rocket Dog at 2:19 PMIt would be possible to dramatically cut the weight of the beast by building replacement hulls in titanium alloy. Although the metal would be fantastically expensive and bring up assorted problems from welding issues to electrolytic corrosion of non alloy components and others, its a one time cost since the titanium is effectively 100% recyclable. Expand the growth-volume margins a little, adopt the Leopard II multi-fuel diesel powerpack, and the series gets reset back down to a 50-55 ton uparmored long range winner ready in a few years. Not necessarily an optimal solution for a couple of decades for now, but as the first line force it would have the agility and mobility it has been slowly losing for years.
Tom at 1:14 PM
Make a phalanx with a minigun or two for drone defense
Aaron Heisler at 7:00 PM