Subsequent modernizations of the armor and optoelectronic equipment, starting from the M1A1 Abrams version through the A1A2, were as follows:
M1A1HA (Heavy Armor): Added first-generation depleted uranium armor. Some M1A1HAs were later upgraded with second-generation depleted uranium armor and were unofficially designated M1A1HA+.
M1A1HC (Heavy Common): Replacement of first-generation uranium armor elements with second-generation ones.
M1A1D (Digital): Upgrade of M1A1HC digital equipment to M1A2 SEP standard.
M1A1 AIMv1 (Abrams Integrated Management): modernization consisting in equipping the tanks with infrared sensors (FLIR) and new communication equipment: FBCB2, Blue Hyperlink.
M1A1 AIMv2/M1A1 SA (Situational Awareness): depleted uranium armor upgrade (replacing the armor with its 3rd generation).
M1A1 FEP (Firepower Enhancement Package): modernization to the AIMv2 standard for USMC tanks (future Polish used 116 units).
M1A2: modernization consisting in the installation of an independent commander’s thermal imaging sight.
M1A2 SEP (System Enhanced Package): equipping the vehicles with a new second-generation gunner’s thermal sight and improved third-generation depleted uranium armor.
M1A2 SEPv2 (26 used, loaned for training Polish tank crews): retrofitting the vehicles with frontal and side ERA armor (TUSK set), new liquid crystal displays with higher resolution, improved, more efficient data buses.
M1A2 SEPv3 (250 newly purchased vehicles for Poland): modernized Vehicle Health Management System (VHMS) with a new Ammunition Data Link (ADL), installation of an improved IED armor package, improved FLIR (using long and medium wave infrared), CROWS system (unmanned, armed turret), integral auxiliary power unit (APU). Thickened armor for increased resistance against kinetic projectiles with mounts for reactive armor (Abrams Reactive Armor Tile (ARAT).
M1A2 SEPv4: modernization in the current final stage of development, consisting of replacing the commander’s thermal sight and the aiming sight (in the third generation FLIR standard associated with a new laser rangefinder, advanced meteorological sensor, laser friend-or-foe receiver, radiation detection sensor integrated with directional smoke grenade launchers).
Equivalent M1A2 armor thicknesses calculated taking into account the slope and inclination of the armor made of homogeneous armor steel plates:
turret front: 960 mm,
gun mantlet: 380-400 mm,
turret sides: 350-400 mm,
tower ceiling: 70-40 mm,
turret rear: 58-40 mm,
hull front (80 mm upper armor plate inclined at 80°): 680 mm,
front of the hull (bottom plate): 550-650 mm,
hull sides (2/3 of the upper surface): 80 mm,
hull sides (1/3 lower surface): 50 mm,
side ballistic skirts: 70 mm,
rear of the hull: 58-40 mm,
hull bottom: 40 mm.
Additional protection of the fighting compartment is achieved by installing TUSK I/TUSK II (Tank Urban Survivability System) covers in the form of M19 ARAT-1 reactive armor on the hull sides or by installing M19 dynamic covers and M32 ARAT-2 covers mounted on them on the hull sides and the M32s themselves on the turret sides.
Oh my God. How did you manage to hide this gem? Finally, we have at least some data on Abrams armor. What’s funny is that the values for the turret cheeks and turret sides almost match the data from War Thunder. Has anyone already submitted a bug report based on this material?
But we are interested in the value of the armor resistance according to the rolled steel thickness equivalent (RHAe). Official data is not available, but according to Glenn Giron, who served in the Abrams tank, the plain thickness of the beveled frontal armor of the Abrams tank turret is 1025 to 1125 mm.
The estimated resistance of the turret front of the M1A2B (M1A2 SEPv2) Abrams tank (with depleted uranium) against APFSDS ammunition is estimated to be around 1000 mm RHAe, with Giron suggesting that it is at least 1025 to 1125 mm. In contrast, the resistance of the turret front against HEAT rounds is estimated to be between 1320 and 2000 mm RHAe.
he front of the Abrams tank hull has much less resistance, with estimates of 580 mm to 700 mm RHAe against APFSDS rounds, and up to 900 mm RHAe against HEAT rounds.
The issue is they never addressed DU for SEP V3; they commented on DU, but not in relation to SEP V3.
They however stated a buff to the hull armor, which depending on how much it is, & if the x-ray changes, will show if they considered DU or not.
X-ray doesn’t change + buff = DU.
X-ray changes + buff = depends on the thickness gained.
Nah not yet but from the sounds of their post we will probably be lucky to get more than a 50mm KE increase and even currently they didnt make an attempt at modeling the new NEA composite, they just put external steel plates on the turret and called it a day, i’d say regardless the SEPv3 is lowballed
The abrams is made with armor from a tin can you didnt know? Cleary gaijin has found the sekrit documents and knows the abrams hasnt changed ounce in 40ish years.
The M1 Abrams tank features powerful passive composite frontal armor, providing comprehensive protection against both kinetic and shaped-charge threats. The first M1 Abrams (1980) has a 663 mm thick frontal turret (62 mm outer steel plate, 500 mm composite armor, and 101 mm rear steel plate). The hull is protected by a 563 mm thick hull (equally thick rear and outer plates, plus a 400 mm composite armor hull).
On subsequent modifications, starting with the IPM1 (1984) and ending with the M1A2 SEPv2 (2008), the thickness of the frontal armor of the turret is (62 - 700 - 101) 863 mm, and the hull (62-500-101) 663 mm.
This PDF is Issue No. 40 of Taiwan’s National Defense and Security Weekly, published by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research on 29 March 2019. It contains an article titled “The Strategic Significance of the M1A2 Main Battle Tank Procurement,” discussing Taiwan’s planned acquisition of the M1A2 Abrams.
The article states that the M1A2C is the renamed M1A2 SEPv3 and describes it as an upgraded version with new armor, improved situational awareness, programmable ammunition support, CREW counter-IED equipment, upgraded power components, and an auxiliary power unit.
It also states that, according to public data, the M1A2 SEPv2 frontal armor provides approximately 960 mm of protection against kinetic-energy rounds and up to 1620 mm against chemical-energy warheads such as HEAT rounds and anti-tank missiles. However, the article uses the general term “frontal armor” and does not specify whether these values apply to the turret, hull, or the frontal arc as a whole.
Also I found a Chinese Sina military article from 2004 that reproduces estimated Abrams armor protection values, including 560–590 mm RHAe KE / 510–1050 mm CE for the glacis and 580–650 mm RHAe KE / 800–970 mm CE for the lower front hull. However, these values appear to come from the older “Tank Protection Levels” internet table, which was later also reproduced on SinoDefence and Armorsite/Fprado. Therefore, this should be treated as an old secondary open-source estimate, not as an official Chinese technical report. 美军陆战核心：M1“艾布拉姆斯”坦克大传(组图)_新浪军事_新浪网
Although US tanks suffered direct hits from numerous Iraqi T-72 and T-72M tanks, enemy warheads simply could not penetrate the M1A1’s armor. The model equipped with this armor is called the M1A1 HA (HA being an abbreviation for heavy armor), offering the equivalent protection of 600mm of armor against fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds and 1300mm of armor against chemical energy projectiles (including shaped charge projectiles and anti-tank missiles).
The armor protection of the M1A1 Abrams currently in service is much stronger than that of the original M1A1HA model used in the first Gulf War in 1991.