This topic about the newly announced M1a2E3.
Personally am very interested in this tank would be a cool Rank 9 / Rank 10 maybe at one point !
Side note :
Please don’t post any classified information ! or ban hammer by mods.
I will only post ( public information ) that is allowed to be shared online !
M1E3 Abrams, the next-generation modernization program for the US Army’s main battle tank.
The M-1E3 Abrams Modernization Program :
Spoiler
On September 6, 2023, the Army announced it would “close out the M-1A2 SEPv4 effort and develop the M-1E3 Abrams.” The Army’s announcement quoted Major General Glenn Dean, Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems, describing the rationale for the Army’s decision:
The Abrams Tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical footprint. The war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for soldiers, built from within instead of adding on.
The Army announcement elaborated that the new platform
[w]ill include the best features of the M-1A2 SEPv4 and will comply with the latest modular open systems architecture standards, allowing quicker technology upgrades and requiring fewer resources. 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 easier to upgrade in the future.
Regarding M-1A2 SEPv3 production, the Army noted that
the Army will continue to produce the M-1A2 SEPv3 at a reduced rate until production transitions to the M-1E3 Abrams.
The Army originally projected achieving M-1E3 Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2030.
Potential M-1E3 Features and Capabilities :
Spoiler
While the Army has not made public the M-1E3’s design requirements, reportedly a 2019 Army Science Board study on a future tank influenced senior Army leadership to establish the M-1E3 program. The Army Science Board study reportedly recommended a $2.9 billion, seven-year program to develop a “fifth generation combat vehicle,” with proposed capabilities including
- a hybrid electric drive;
- an autoloader and new main gun;
- advanced munitions, such as maneuvering hypersonic and gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles;
- integrated armor protection;
- improved command, control, and networking capabilities;
- artificial intelligence (AI) applications;
- ability to pair with robotic vehicles; and
- masking capabilities to reduce the vehicle’s thermal and electromagnetic signatures.
In October 2022, GDLS reportedly unveiled the Abrams X Technology Demonstrator (Figure 2). Some Abrams X features reportedly include
- reduced weight (10 tons less than the current M-1 Abrams);
- a hybrid electric diesel engine 50% more fuel efficient than the current Abrams;
- an unmanned turret which would reduce the crew from four to three soldiers;
- enhanced armor to protect against bombs dropped by drones;
- ability to communicate with unmanned aerial vehicles; and
- an onboard AI system that could both alert the crew to long-range threats and prioritize fires against multiple threats.
All info from here :
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12495
Thanks for reading !
