Aroma fermentativo

The General Dynamics, Land Systems Division, M 1 A 1 Abrams is the evolutionary successor to the Ml/ImprovedMl MET models, Although it uses the same basic design of the Improved Ml it has a 120 mm M256 Rheinmetall smoothbore gun; collective NBC system; improved digital computer fire-control system with a state-of-the-art stabilised gunner's day/night sight assembly; integral laser rangefmding and thermal imaging capabilities, together with improved transmission and suspension systems.

The gun fires APFSDS-T (depleted

uranium type) and HEAT-MP-T ammunition. The former round is limited to US Army use only so the Egyptian Army is procuring an American-built KE-T round in lieu, which is based on a tungsten metal penetrator.

In late 1989 the US Army adopted the M1A1 Heavy Armour (M1A1 (HA)) version for deployment in Europe, This has additional steel encased depleted uranium armour mesh added to the Ml standard advanced 'Chobham' type armour configuration.

In late 1990 the M1A1 (Common Tank) version entered production with

67 engineering changes that make tr. vehicle suitable for use by the US Marir Corps. It has tie-down points, fordir. kit attachments and the Heavy Armoi package. A total of 221 were built for th US Marine Corps between 1990-92.

The follow-on MlA2 (or Ml Block I entered US Army field trial testing : mid-1992. This has further specii passive armour hull and turn improvements to defeat kinetic an chemical energy rounds; added rot protection to reduce the threat froi fielded top-attack ATGW and anti-tar bomblets; a complete digital fritervehiculc

Information System (MS) to replace the current wiring; independent Commander and Driver thermal viewing systems (the CITY and DTV systems); a POS/NAV land navigation system; an updated digital fire-control system with new ballistic computer and the capability to carry and fire a new generation of advanced 120 mm 'smart' ammunition types that are currently being developed to deal with various battlefield targets.

Although only 81 M1A2 have been built for the US Army a number of older Ml tanks are to be upgraded to the M1A2 standards, The exact number is currently set at 1079 with deliveries running from 1994 through to 2003.

In 1988 Egypt ordered 524 M1A1 with the majority being built under license from kit form. In addition Saudi Arabia ordered 315 M1A2 with deliveries completed in 1994. Kuwait also chose the M1A2 as its next MET, ordering 218 in October 1992 with deliveries made between 1994-1996.

During the Gulf War the M1A1 models undertook the brunt of the US Army armour battles destroying large numbers of Iraqi tanks at battle ranges of up to 3500 metres or more, The thermal viewing equipment could see targets at over 5000 metres and positively identify them

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at over 1000-1500 metres. They also allowed enemy positions and vehicles to be seen in the worst of the battlefield conditions, namely the thick oil-fire smoke from the burning Kuwaiti oilfields.

It was found that the 120 mm M829A1 APFSDS-T rounds used could be fired through five-foot thick sand berms used to protect Iraqi tanks in hull-down positions and still destroy the target. In another instance an M1A1 hit the turret of a T-72 with an anti-tank round which passed straight through the turret's side armour, the turret interior and the armour on the other side of the turret and then went on to hit and destroy a second T-72. On another occasion an M1A1 destroyed a T-72 by penetrating its frontal armour-at a range of 3500 metres.

The M1A1 surviveability proved to be on a par with the Israeli Merkava: none was totally destroyed, nine were permanently disabled (mostly by friendly action or in two cases by their own crews when the vehicles had to be abandoned) and nine damaged (mainly by mines) but were considered repairable. Only a few dozen crewmen were injured in combat, At least seven MlAls were hit by 125 mm fire from T-72, none had any serious damage caused, One M1A1 suffered two direct hits from anti-tank

sabot rounds fired from a T-72 a approximately 500 metres away whid simply bounced off its front armour.

The main danger faced by the Abram was the myriad of Iraqi anti-tank mine obtained from both Eastern and Wester sources and these weapons caused th disablement of several MlAls,

The US Marine Corps also used 61 MlAl(HA) and 18 M1A1 Commoi Tanks in the Gulf War, but had to borrov the former from the US Army. Thes< equipped the 2nd Marine Tank Battalioi and the 4th Marine Tank Battalion assignee to units of the 1 st Marine Expeditionar Force,

In 1994 General Dynamics wa; awarded a design study of the M1AJ System Enhancement Package (SEP this is aimed at being introduced into the current US Army M1A2 upgrade programme and as a retro-fit kit foi those MlA2s already introduced. The result will be an M1A2 suitable for the digital battlefield.

Opposite: US Army Ml A2 Abrams at speed in desert conditions

Specification

First prototype: M1A1 1981; M1A2 1990 First production: MlAl-1985-current (2500 built plus 25 for Egypt in 1991 and further 530 in kit form for construction at local factory over a 10-year period); M1A1(HA)-1988-1993 (2302 built); M1A2- 1992-current (81 built 1992-93 for US Army, batch of 315 for Saudi Arabian Army from 1993-94 plus 236 for Kuwait from

1994-96)

Current users: M1A1-Egypt, USA (US Army and US Marine Corps); MlAl(HA)- US Army; M1A1-US Army, Kuwait and

Saudi Arabia Crew: 4

Combat weight: Ml Al 57 155kg; MlAl(HA) 63 738 kg; M1A2 61 690 kg Ground pressure: n/av

Length, gun forwards: 9.83 m Width; 3.66 m

Height (without AA gun): 2.44 m Ground clearance: 0.43 m Max. road speed: 55 km/h Maximum range: 460 km Fording: unprepared 1.22 m Gradient: 60% Side slope: 40% Vertical obstacle: 1.24 m Trench: 2.74 m

Powerpack: Textron Lycoming ACT 1500 multi-fuel gas turbine developing 1500 hp and coupled to an X-1100-3B automatic transmission

Armament: (main) 1 x 120 mm gun (40 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x7.62 mm MG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mm and 1 x 7.62 mm MG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x 6

M1A1 Abrams of the US Army on exercise in Germany.

Basic Abrams Ml/Improved Performance Ml

USA