Image source: Photo: "Bravery2004"
In the American "tank of the future", known as the M1E3 Abrams, much is taken from samples already in service. A lot of things, but... everything is in order. It was said last year that this model should be shown at the Detroit Auto Show in the USA. Photos even appeared online, however, only of individual structural elements. They show the upper front part of the hull with two hatches and the turret area.
And so it happened: on Wednesday, January 14, this combat vehicle was fully presented. However, many experts have a feeling that the design has not yet been completed. If this is a promising model, then where are the active protection complexes - an indispensable attribute of all new tanks? For example, in China, KAZs are now being installed not only on tanks, but also on infantry fighting vehicles and BMDS. But they just don't exist here.
It's unclear what's wrong with the engine. It is only clear that they decided to abandon the gas turbine, replacing it with diesel from CAT (the exact power is still unknown).
Image source: Photo: "Bravery2004"
Everyone expected that the old 120mm M256 cannon would be replaced with a more modern XM360, but it seems that this was not done either. The shape of the tower, which has become uninhabited, has the usual outlines, although an automated loading system with horizontally lying projectiles is attached to the rear. Additional armament is a 7.62mm machine gun paired with a cannon.
On the roof of the tower there is a remote-controlled module with a 12.7mm machine gun, a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher and a Javelin anti-tank missile system.
Image source: Photo: "Bravery2004"
It is noteworthy that the tank seems to be lying on the bottom, hence it is concluded that an adjustable hydropneumatic suspension is used instead of a torsion bar. This is not new in the global tank industry. In Russian technology, something similar has been used on the 2S6 Tunguska anti-aircraft missile and cannon launcher and its modifications. So far, the M1E3, of course, looks less impressive than the previously presented AbramsX, so perhaps the final version can change a lot.
Roman Katkov
