Changes

On February 28, 1980, the first M1 tank rolled out of the government-owned Lima Tank Plant in Lima, Ohio. It was designated the M1 Abrams, in honor of General [[Creighton Abrams]], a commander in [[Vietnam]].<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/lima.htm#prof Lima Army Tank Plant (LATP), GlobalSecurity.org]</ref> Over 9,000 Abrams tanks have been manufactured.  

On February 28, 1980, the first M1 tank rolled out of the government-owned Lima Tank Plant in Lima, Ohio. It was designated the M1 Abrams, in honor of General [[Creighton Abrams]], a commander in [[Vietnam]].<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/lima.htm#prof Lima Army Tank Plant (LATP), GlobalSecurity.org]</ref> Over 9,000 Abrams tanks have been manufactured.  

The Abrams Tank System Program has been using Depleted Uranium armor since the 1980s. Also, incorporating a modular designed Honeywell 1,500 HP smokeless gas turbine engine, easily removed, serviced and upgraded. The Abrams tank has a governed top speed of 45&nbsp;mph, with a range of 265 miles. Speeds of up to 60&nbsp;mph have been reached with the governor removed, but this results in damage to the transmission and generally makes the tank unservicable quite quickly. Following a series of critical reports beginning in 1990 and gaining urgency after the 2003 Iraq campaign, the US Army are considering a number of options for replacing the gas turbine with a conventional diesel engine. The main problem is the very high fuel consumption (twice that of an equivalent 1,500&nbsp;hp tank diesel) which both reduces the tank's range and increases the logistics burden. The high-temperature jet exhaust is also an issue, as it both creates a large thermal target and is dangerous to infantry working close to the tank, which is a serious issue in urban operations. The fire control system allows the gunner to fire accurately while moving against either stationary or moving targets. The commander's station of the Abrams M1A1 is equipped with six periscopes, providing a 360° view.<ref>[http://www.army-technology.com/projects/abrams/ M1A1 / M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, USA, Army-technology.com]</ref>  The tank weighs nearly 70 Tons making it one of the heaviest in the world. The US Army is currently trying to develop a lightened 60 ton variant providing the same level of protection by using advanced materials such as Dorchester armour. The original M1 was armed with a Royal Ordnance Factories 105mm L7 rifled gun built under licence as the M68, but in the M1A1 and later this was replaced with a Rheinmetall L44 120mm smoothbore gun licence-built as the M256. All original L7-armed M1s have now been upgraded to at least M1A1 standard or have been retired.

Also, incorporating a modular designed Honeywell 1,500 HP smokeless gas turbide engine, easily removed, serviced and upgraded. The Abrams tank has a governed top speed of 45&nbsp;mph, with a range of 265 miles. Speeds of up to 60&nbsp;mph have been reached with the governor removed, but this results in damage to the transmission and generally makes the tank unservicable quite quickly. Following a series of critical reports beginning in 1990 and gaining urgency after the 2003 Iraq campaign, the US Army are considering a number of options for replacing the gas turbine with a conventional diesel engine. The main problem is the very high fuel consumption (twice that of an equivalent 1,500&nbsp;hp tank diesel) which both reduces the tank's range and increases the logistics burden. The high-temperature jet exhaust is also an issue, as it both creates a large thermal target and is dangerous to infantry working close to the tank, which is a serious issue in urban operations. The fire control system allows the gunner to fire accurately while moving against either stationary or moving targets. The commander's station of the Abrams M1A1 is equipped with six periscopes, providing a 360° view.<ref>[http://www.army-technology.com/projects/abrams/ M1A1 / M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, USA, Army-technology.com]</ref>  The tank weighs nearly 70 Tons making it one of the heaviest in the world. The US Army is currently trying to develop a lightened 60 ton variant providing the same level of protection by using advanced materials such as Dorchester armour. The original M1 was armed with a Royal Ordnance Factories 105mm L7 rifled gun built under licence as the M68, but in the M1A1 and later this was replaced with a Rheinmetall L44 120mm smoothbore gun licence-built as the M256. All original L7-armed M1s have now been upgraded to at least M1A1 standard or have been retired.

These tanks have seen significant combat experience in the first [[Gulf War]] as well as the current [[Iraq]] deployment.  Here they have shown to be a true force to be reckoned with and have one of the best combat records of any modern tank.   

These tanks have seen significant combat experience in the first [[Gulf War]] as well as the 2003-2011 [[Iraq]] deployment.  Here they have shown to be a true force to be reckoned with and have one of the best combat records of any modern tank.   

During the war the US army rolled over Iraqi T-72Ms (An export model of the T-72 which lacked many features such as composite and reactive armor, adequate penetrator's and no modern optical range finders as opposed to their main line Soviet counterparts)  with huge success.  Their success against Iraqi armor in the first gulf war caused many nations to reconsider their armored forces, realizing that their force of communist made vehicles was inferior. However, post-war analysis determined that the Iraqi armored forces were using less capable penetrator rounds, insufficient propellant for tank rounds, inferior armor materials, a lack of modern optical and range finding equipment, and utilizing hold-over tactics from their eight-year war with Iran that were woefully inappropriate for maneuver warfare.  

During the war the US army rolled over Iraqi T-72Ms (An export model of the T-72 which lacked many features such as composite and reactive armor, adequate penetrator's and no modern optical range finders as opposed to their main line Soviet counterparts)  with huge success.  Their success against Iraqi armor in the first gulf war caused many nations to reconsider their armored forces, realizing that their force of communist made vehicles was inferior. However, post-war analysis determined that the Iraqi armored forces were using less capable penetrator rounds, insufficient propellant for tank rounds, inferior armor materials, a lack of modern optical and range finding equipment, and utilizing hold-over tactics from their eight-year war with Iran that were woefully inappropriate for maneuver warfare.