The first loop is just a warm-up. On the second tankers there is simply a real obstacle course – from the gate, which you gotta enter without touching the markers hanging in it, to the mud-filled ditch. This is how Abrams tank drivers prepare for duty. Since recently, they have been doing this under the supervision of Polish instructors from the Center for Training in the Land Forces.
One ft shall be inserted into the loop suspended by the caterpillar and the another shall be powerfully reflected from the ground. The teacher pulls me into armor, and then I'm on the tower. Abrams. I take a seat in the hatch due to the fact that I cannot look inside the tank – safety issues. In a helmet on my head, I hear more commands. Let's go.
The first loop is about 2 km long. It runs along the roadless terrain of Biedrusk. The terrain is heavy folded, but through successive elevations and pouring the tank passes smoothly. Stairs only start on loop two. It's twice as long and full of obstacles. We drive in a column of 3 vehicles. Already a fewer 100 meters from the square there is simply a metallic gate with markers hanging on the sides. Abrams must go right through the mediate without moving them. – A small slower and more to the right – the teacher advises, and the driver manoeuvres the tank slightly. We did it, but it's gonna be harder in a minute. We have a corridor ahead of us, which is simply a plan made of respective akin gates. Here's 1 of the tags, but mostly not bad. Just like on a narrow ramp from a slaughtered ground.
Film: Łukasz Zalesiński, Aleksander Kruk / ArmouredTV
Tanks sometimes drive up to 30 km/h, but that's rare. due to the fact that there's virtually no consecutive and consecutive sections on the tour. Rows, steep slopes and ramps reign, rails so deep that the infantry would most likely scope for the belt. Sometimes I feel like Abrams is gonna snort a barrel into the ground, but nothing like that happens. We're pushing hard. We only halt before a long pit to the edges filled with muddy goose. There are besides 2 tanks ahead. Instructors talk on the radio. Turns out the first vehicle got stuck in a brey, which besides splashed the periscope. The wipers barely make it. However, it does not last long. The driver in front of us adds gas, makes a turn, then another 1 and leaves for the hill. Another 1 runs through the ditch rather smoothly. It's us now. - Not through the middle! Side, slower... Now gas – I can hear in the helmet. We're through. A fewer minutes later, we're in the square. This is how the grinding is achieved by tank drivers, which are expected to be about the strength of the Polish army.
The classes are conducted within the Abrams Academy, which has been operating at the Poznań Center for the Training of Land Forces for nearly 2 years. “They are part of OPNET, or training for Abrams crews,” explains Colonel Paweł Kazmierczak of CSWL, commander of the battalion. presently in Poznań and surrounding areas soldiers from respective Polish units are preparing to service on a fresh kind of vehicles. – The department, commander and cargo are presently undergoing courses on working in assigned positions. shortly they will besides learn to lead Abrams, to replace incumbent drivers if necessary, for example in the field of combat. This pattern is included in American training systems. However, in accordance with the regulations in force in Poland, drivers themselves must undergo extended training and receive appropriate rights. This is what we focus on here – explains Colonel Kazmierczak. Here, i.e. on the late upgraded track for learning riding Radojevo. – Tankers learn to drive on 4 loops with obstacles of varying degrees of difficulty. We besides have an artificial tank in the facility. It is possible to practice pushing the water barrier in a way that various types of combat vehicles have been adapted to. There is no another facility in the country, says Colonel Kazmierczak. Drivers whose training we're watching, they won't just enter the water. The reason: the tanks on which they are trained usually overcome akin obstacles in a different way, even on floating bridges. – The participants of this edition of Abrams' course have only been learning for 3 days – admits St. Chor. Dawid Wronski, commander of tank platoon in Abrams CSWLąd company, who watches over the course of training. – Earlier they learned the method of moving in the field, then they led the tank at a closed hatch, both during the day and after dark. In the first case, they utilized the periscope, in the second, the thermal camera, the sub-commander mentions. The classes took place in the camp, but in alternatively comfortable conditions. Today, drivers are facing the obstacle course for the first time. We'll practice the same pattern. Now ride in the day, next day after dark. All at a closed hatch, only in a much more demanding area – says St. Wronski. 9 Abrams set out on the loop. In each of the 3 trainees and the teacher who gives the next instructions, he gives advice and advice. First impressions? Excellent! Simon Baran of the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade. “I didn’t anticipate this tank to be driven so lightly,” he adds, although he admits that you can sweat erstwhile beating more loops. The hardest thing for me was to get through the ramp. It was truly narrow, and all false decision threatened to get off the embankment. The movement of the mannet should have been calculated in millimetres, but everything went well – emphasizes the width. Aries.
– For the driver, this tank is much more convenient to usage than the T-72 or PT-91 vehicles on which we conducted the training in erstwhile years – there is no uncertainty about it. Abrams’ assets include an automatic transmission. – The driver can focus on adding gas and braking. The location of the tank changes utilizing a mannet, not a bar, as in russian production vehicles. Of course Abrams has his own mass. Weights above 60 t and these kilos are felt. A fast passage through a funnel can lift a tank into the air. Landing after specified a flight is usually uncomfortable for the crew. That's why driving is so important. To put it another way: sense – says Fr Kolodzier.
Interestingly, today's training in Biedrusek is conducted only by Polish instructors. Formally, they inactive service as alleged shadow instructors, whose task is to assist Americans, but in fact they have already gained very advanced independence. – About 10 of us passed the first phase of certification, which would make us full-fledged Abrams tank instructors. We can train soldiers on the equipment itself. Soon, we should besides gain the power to conduct theoretical classes – stresses Mr Kołodziej. The Americans in Radoev stood in a way from the side, limiting themselves to tracking activities on monitors.
Abrams Academy so far, she has trained respective 100 Polish soldiers. Among them are crew members and maintenance specialists. The facility besides provides courses for the cast of M882A Hercules method safety wagons. The Polish Army needs them in connection with the acquisition of fresh tanks.
In fresh years, the Ministry of Defence has signed contracts for the transportation of 366 Abrams. 250 of them are fresh vehicles in version M1A2 SEPv3. Additionally, there are 116 utilized M1A1 tanks. The first machines of the second kind began to scope the units. In February, the first utilizing platoons from the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade passed certification under the eye of Americans.
