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Line 37: − 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 mph, with a range of 265 miles. Speeds of up to 60 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 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 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. + − + + + + + + + + + + + + +
→Depleted uranium shells and armour
The Abrams Tank System Program has been using [[depleted uranium]] shells and armor since the 1980s. The depleted uranium is made of a particular hardened "man-made" element, harder than lead, steel, or iron. So-called "amour piercing shells" of depleted uranium can slice through or melt lead, steel, or iron, while artillery shells made of those metals cannot penetrate the armour. Use of depleted uranium shells causes longterm [[environmental]] damage, and the lasting danger to humans of exposure to [[cancer]] causing [[radiation]].
The Abrams Tank System Program has been using [[depleted uranium]] shells and armor since the 1980s. The depleted uranium is made of a particular hardened "man-made" element, harder than lead, steel, or iron. So-called "amour piercing shells" of depleted uranium can slice through or melt lead, steel, or iron, while artillery shells made of those metals cannot penetrate the armour. Use of depleted uranium shells causes longterm [[environmental]] damage, and the lasting danger to humans of exposure to [[cancer]] causing [[radiation]].
==Turbine engine==
Incorporating a modular designed Honeywell 1,500 HP smokeless gas turbine engine that eruns on jet fuel, easily removed once towed to a repair site, serviced and upgraded. The Abrams tank has a governed top speed of 45 mph, with a range of 265 miles on one tank of gas. Speeds of up to 60 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 hp tank diesel) which both reduces the tank's range and increases the logistics burden.
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.
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 turbine engine also sucks in dirt, sand and debris.
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, adding to the cost of transporting it accross oceans. 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 gained some 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 against older T-64s.
During the war the US army rolled over older Iraqi T-72Ms (An export model of the T-72 which at the time 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. The Abrams has never faced the main battle Tank of the Russian Armed Forces.
Their success against Iraqi armor in the first gulf war caused many nations to reconsider their armored forces, realizing that their force of Soviet era 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.
==References==
==References==