Summary and key points: The AbramsX is the latest version of the U.S. Army’s legendary M1 Abrams main battle tank, which has been a symbol of American military power since its debut in the 1980s.
– While the Abrams was originally designed for Cold War scenarios in Europe, the AbramsX features advanced Chobham armor, a powerful 120mm smoothbore gun, and a 1,500 hp gas turbine engine, making it highly mobile and well protected.
-It also features modern digital systems and countermeasures. Despite its impressive capabilities, some critics argue that the AbramsX, like US aircraft carriers, may be more suited to past conflicts than future warfare.
AbramsX: The next evolution of the legendary American battle tank
In recent years, the battle tank has been subject to much criticism – especially the further developed variants of its weapon system.
In the Iraq War, main battle tanks were all but useless at the start of the insurgency. In Ukraine, the Russians are now so afraid to risk their modern T-14 Armata tanks that they rely on the old Soviet-era T-72 main battle tanks to do the heavy lifting. (These systems are easy to manufacture and relatively cheap.)
Nevertheless, the Americans are working on another version of the Abrams, the tank that contributed so much to the US victory during Operation Desert Storm and which remains the pinnacle of active battle tanks – at least until the T-14 shows what it can do.
The upcoming version will be known as AbramsX.
The Abrams tank is experiencing a second boom
Named after US General Creighton Abrams, the Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank originally developed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems).
The original M1 Abrams first entered service in the 1980s and was designed to accomplish one goal: prevent the Red Army from advancing into Western Europe through the Fulda Gap in Germany. However, that conflict never materialized, so the Abrams was used in other areas, most notably during Operation Desert Storm.
Unfortunately, the conflict in Europe for which the Abrams was developed seems to have once again erupted on the battlefields of Ukraine. For this reason, the Americans have promised Kyiv 31 older M1 Abrams tanks. But Ukraine has refused to use these tanks because they are older and too heavy for the soft Ukrainian soil.
Who would have thought? Geography is important in war.
Some technical specifications of the AbramsX
Nevertheless, the new AbramsX is on the way. One of its notable features is its advanced Chobham armor. This composite armor, developed in the UK in the 1960s, offers superior protection against a wide range of threats, including kinetic energy rounds and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds.
The new Abrams is also armed to the teeth. It is equipped with a 120mm smoothbore gun, which has been the primary weapon of Western main battle tanks for decades. This gun can fire a variety of ammunition types, including armor-piercing, fin-stabilized sabot projectiles and high-explosive HEAT projectiles.
But the AbramsX isn’t just about firepower and protection. It’s also about mobility. The tank is powered by a gas turbine engine that delivers a whopping 1,500 horsepower. This allows the AbramsX to reach speeds of up to 72 km/h on roads, making it one of the fastest tanks in the world.
The AbramsX is equipped with other advanced technologies. Its digital command and control system allows the crew to share information and coordinate their actions more effectively. It also has a laser warning receiver system that detects when the tank is being attacked by laser-guided weapons and automatically initiates countermeasures.
Is the new AbramsX really worth the money?
America’s newest main battle tank, the AbramsX, is a modern engineering marvel – like America’s vaunted aircraft carrier fleet. The new Abrams combines advanced armor, firepower, mobility and technology to create a tank to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Much like the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers, the AbramsX is advanced, but could be designed for yesterday’s wars.
About the author
Brandon J. Weichert, a national security analyst for the National Interest, is a former congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor to The Washington Times, The Asia Times, and The Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, will be published by Encounter Books on October 22. Weichert can be followed on Twitter. @WeTheBrandon.
The main image is from General Dynamics.
