War Thunder Bug Report Documentation: M1 Abrams HE Rounds (M1147 AMP)
This report provides evidence that the U.S. M1 Abrams main battle tank, specifically the M1A2 SEPv3 and other modern variants, is equipped with and uses High Explosive (HE) type ammunition, namely the M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) cartridge.
- Ammunition Designation and Description
The round in question is officially known as the M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) cartridge, or High Explosive Multi-Purpose with Tracer (HEMP-T). This is an explicit HE-type round designed for use against a variety of non-armored and soft targets.
- Source 1 (U.S. Army Official Article): The U.S. Army officially announced the full-rate production decision for the M1147 round, explicitly calling it a “High Explosive Multi-Purpose with Tracer (HEMP-T)” round and detailing its capabilities for the M1 Abrams tank. This link from the official U.S. Army website confirms its classification and operational status.
- Source 2 (U.S. DoD DOT&E Report - FY2022): The Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E)—an official oversight agency for the U.S. Department of Defense—confirmed the formal designation and purpose of the round. Their annual report explicitly mentions the “120mm Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) Cartridge, High Explosive Multi-Purpose with Tracer Round” and its use in engaging targets such as bunkers and reinforced walls.
- Capabilities and Function
The M1147 AMP round replaced several legacy munitions, including dedicated high-explosive obstacle reduction (HE-OR) rounds and multi-purpose rounds, combining them into one versatile munition.
- Multi-Functionality: It was designed to replace the capabilities of the M830 HEAT, M830A1 MPAT, M908 HE-OR, and M1028 Canister rounds, consolidating these various high-explosive and multi-purpose effects into a single ammunition type.
- Programmable Fuze: The round can be fired in three modes: point-detonate (standard HE explosion upon impact), point-detonate delay (penetrates an obstacle before exploding), and airburst (explodes above a target, used for anti-personnel or soft targets). This versatility is characteristic of high-explosive ordnance used for various targets beyond traditional anti-tank roles.
- Conclusion for Bug Report
The M1 Abrams tank in modern U.S. service, particularly the M1A2 SEP and later variants, utilizes modern, programmable High Explosive ammunition (M1147 AMP/HEMP-T). The official documentation provided above, sourced directly from the U.S. Army and Department of Defense, confirms the existence, classification, and operational use of these HE rounds. The absence of this ammunition type in the game for the relevant Abrams variant is a bug.