The Abrams tank will shortly be the most modern tank in the Polish Army. These machines already have legend status. We have prepared for you any of the most crucial facts about the Abrams tank.
Polish Army will receive 250 fresh tanks Abrams version M1A2 SEPv3That we bought in the United States. Production is due to end by 2024 and transportation by early 2025.
Additionally, in the US we bought 116 utilized Abrams tanks in unknown versions (probably M1A1 SA or M1A1 FEP). transportation is to start in 2022.
Training of Polish crews at Abrams Academy.In Poznań, the alleged Abrams Academy was established. 28 American cars in the SEPv2 version were sent to the Training Centre for Land Forces in Poznań. The training of Polish soldiers is conducted on them. Tanks are known by mechanics and the first Polish crew of M1 Abrams. Classes are run by Americans.
On this occasion, we prepared any facts about Abrams tanks.
Abrams' engine was built for helicopters
A powerful tank needs a powerful drive. Abrams' creators decided to go all the way. The Honeywell AGT-1500 gas turbine engine has a power of 1103 kW/1500 hp at 3000 rpm.
This engine was designed as a drive for AH-64 Apache helicopters or UH-60 Black Hawk, but AGT-1500 lost the competition to General electrical GE12 (T700).
Replacement of AGT-1500 engine in Abrams tankThe engine weighs about 100 kg and occupies a volume of 1.1 m3. The Abrams tank engine can be powered by diesel, kerosene, JP-1 rocket fuel, low-octane petrol, marine oil, and even high-percent alcohol.
Abrams' engine is rather quiet, but fuel-eating. An hr in the field uses 226 liters of fuel, which means that each minute is 3.75 liters of burnt fuel. It takes 37 l to start the engine.
Combat baptism in Desert Storm
The first tank combat test was Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Abrams was highly effective in the battle, causing large losses among enemy tanks (2000 destroyed Iraqi tanks).
Abrams in Desert StormAmericans lost 9 M1 tanks – 7 were accidentally destroyed by their own fire. 2 were deliberately destroyed after being buried in the swamp to prevent the enemy from taking over. During the full operation, no Abrams were destroyed by enemy fire, even multiple hits.
With better thermal equipment and a fire control system, M1 was able to effectively fight Iraqi tanks at a distance of over 3000 m, even in conditions of mediocre visibility caused by fog or smoke from burning oil wells.
Silver ball, or Abrams shoots uranium and tungsten bullets
M1A1 and M1A2's main weaponry is the 120 mm M256A1 cannon, designed by German company Rheinmetall AG, produced under licence in the US by Watervliet Arsenal in fresh York City.
Abrams' primary ammunition to destruct another tanks is an M829 (in various versions) rocket with a depleted uranium core. Known as "Silver Ball" (uran is simply a silver-white metal) he easy handled the armor of russian tanks in the Persian Gulf. Effective hits resulting in demolition of the tank were achieved from up to 4000 m. There were cases that 2 T-72 tanks were destroyed by 1 shot, as the penetrator completely pierced the first tank and then the second.
The kinetic energy of this ammunition is terrible. M829A1 has a flat laser trajectory of up to 3600 metres, which means that in this section gravity does not actually work on the projectile. All due to an outlet velocity of up to 1575 m/s. This ammunition can pierce 60 cm of armored steel from a distance of over 2 kilometres. And despite the reactive armor protection. The M829A1 rocket weighs 20.9 kg.
M829A2 missileThe M829A2 rocket was developed specifically to destruct Russian T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks equipped with reactive armor Contact-5. The latest version of ammunition, produced utilizing improved technological processes, is M829A4.
Unfortunately, anti-tank ammunition with tungsten core KEW-A1 is to be purchased for the Polish Abrams. It is not as effective as its uranium counterpart.
Abrams with uranium depleted armour
The armor is the base in the tank. The Americans decided to safe the crew with 1 of the toughest metals. Abrams in M1A1 AIM versions, M1A2 SEP and all subsequent tank models have depleted uranium in both hull armor and tower.
The M1A2 SEP variants were equipped with 3rd generation armor from depleted uranium in combination with graphite coating. M1A2 SEPv3 has even more technologically advanced armor, however, its data remains secret.
British Mystery of Abrams
Uranus isn't everything. too that, Abrams has Chobham armor. Although the plan details of the Chobham armor stay a mystery, it is known to be ceramic composite armor.
It is to be composed of ceramic plates surrounded by a metallic frame and connected to a support plate and respective flexible layers. Thanks to the utmost hardness of the ceramic used, they supply excellent resistance.
The Chobham armor was developed by the British.
Abrams and TUSK
The Americans gained quite a few experience from the Second Iraq War launched in 2003. any of them active the usage of tanks in urban areas. These vehicles have never done well in cities where in narrow streets they are exposed to infantry attacks.
Abrams, Iraq. The tank is equipped with TUSK strategy (show additional reactive armours after hull noses)The Americans decided to make a full package of systems that could be installed in the field, without the request to drive Abrams to the service, and which would increase the chances of the tank to last in the city.
The set was named Tank Urban endurance Kit (TUSK). It consists of many improvements from the simplest, specified as a reverse camera for the driver or a telephone for the infantry behind the tank and connecting to the vehicle commander, through 360-degree cameras to ARAT II reactive armor.
Fast computer aboard Abrams
Abrams is equipped with a ballistic fire control computer that uses data provided from various sources to calculate the rocket flight way and barrel setting.
This is determined by laser rangefinder, side wind sensor, tilt sensor, performance data and flight characteristics for each kind of projectile, ammunition temperature, barrel temperature, air temperature, air force and humidity, and many another data from different sensors.
All these factors are utilized for ballistic calculation and barrel setting and updated 30 times per second.
View of the cannon position (left at the bottom) and position of the commander (right at the top)Who was General Abrams?
The tank's name comes from the name of the American general. Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (15 September 1914 – 4 September 1974) made himself known as an excellent and aggressive armory. For most of the war, commanded by him 37. The Tank Battalion was headed by the celebrated 3rd Army of General George S. Patton.
Using the skills of the leader and the advantages of the velocity and reliability of his tanks, he managed to defeat the German forces, which had the advantage of a better armor and a better cannon.
General Creighton Williams AbramsI'm expected to be the best armored army commander in the Army, but I have individual just as good here. It's Abe Abrams. He's the planet champion.
– General George Patton said about him.
Abrams was besides the commander-in-chief of the U.S. troops in Vietnam. Abrams implemented counter-partisan tactics that focused on conquering the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese agrarian population.
