THE EVOLUTION OF US ARMY TANKS TO PRESENT DAY
Tanks are among the most powerful weapons a country may have and can determine a country's chances of winning on the battlefield. The US Army has since learned that having such a powerful weapon can have a great advantage. Today, US Army tanks are considered one of the best since they are well-built, durable, and powerful. However, many innovations have been made over time to improve these US Army tankers. Recently, the manufacturer of the Abrams tanks has been given a signal to create a lighter with high-tech feature tanks. The new M1E3 Abrams tank is targeted to be finished along with the M30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle. Let’s take a look back at some of the most significant tanks that have been used in US history and their evolution.
Armored Warfare: US Army Tank in Action
The US Army tanks had humble beginnings, but the country could not produce its own during World War I. It was not a priority then, but everything changed after the Second World War.
M3 Stuart
This US Army tanker was lightly armed with a 37 mm gun and three .30-caliber Browning machine guns. On the battlefield, the weapons performed poorly; their bodies were minimal, and their guns were ineffective against armored targets. However, they performed best in jungles and overpowered inferior Japanese tanks.
M3 Lee
At that time, this weapon was unique as it had two armaments: a 37 mm gun in a turret on top and a 75 mm gun mounted in the hull. The 37 mm was created for infantry support, while the 75 mm was for hardened structures and enemy attacks. Overall, the performance of the M3 Lee was amazing.
M4 Sherman
The Sherman was patterned on the Lee. It had a crew of five and armor up to 3.6 inches thick. At the Battle of El Alamein, it outperformed the British-designed tanks. But it needed to be more superior to face its German counterparts. It faced high losses when the Allies joined Western Europe; the US Army lost over 4,000 Shermans. During this time, these US Army tanks had a lot of losses and were branded as death traps. However, it is still reliable and has a high crew survivability rate. Plus, the gun was upgraded to 76 mm.
The Patton Tank Family
After World War II, everything changed with the US Army tanks as the Patton Family was introduced. The M46 featured a 90 mm gun and could accommodate a crew of five. Its successor, the M47, was mainly exported to NATO countries. Patton M48 was the workhorse of the military in the Vietnam War. It performed well in infantry support and even went face-off against Soviet-designed PT-76 and T-55 tanks. The final member of the US Army tank Patton family is the M60. It had a 105 mm gun; then, an upgraded version, the M60A2, was released with a 152 mm gun. Plus, it could launch anti-tank missiles. The upgraded version was used in the invasion of Panama in 1983 and the first Gulf War in 1991.
Abrams US Army Tanks
By the 1970s, the Army designers had started curating a new design. Then, by 1980, the M1 Abrams was introduced. It was a breath of fresh air at that time as it featured upgraded electronics, an infrared camera, GPS navigation, a foot-thick armor, and its 120 mm gun. In February 1991, during the Battle of 73 Easting, this US Army tanker destroyed 100 Iraqi tanks in just 23 minutes. Since then, it has been constantly upgraded with its latest version, M1A2 SEP V.3, in 2017.
Lighter, More Powerful US Army Tank in the Works
The Abrams tanker has been continuously developed to become more invincible. Recently, the Army announced that a modern US Army tanker, the M1E3, is in the works. This tanker is expected to provide higher survivability and better mobility on the battlefield as it will be a very differently configured Abrams compared to its predecessors.Within the next 18 months, the Army aimed to work on various technology maturation, including upgrades such as inside operation capabilities, autoloader features, active protection systems, lighter weight, fuel efficiency, and alternate power trains.The Army is aiming high for new features to add to its US Army tanks as it wants a silent drive capability to avoid detection. With the M1E3 new feature in the works, the Army is highly optimistic that it will improve its operation on the battlefield. Read next:
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