US Army News and updates general discussion

[Ananda]

U.S. Army unveils first M1E3 Abrams prototype previewing next-generation tank for 2040 era

The U.S. Army unveiled the M1E3 Abrams prototype in Detroit Auto Show to test unmanned turret design, crew layout, and digital systems for the future M1A3 tank.

www.armyrecognition.com

Eventough this M1E3 demonstrator will not be the production M1A3, but it is working progress development for type of tech that going to be integrated to M1A3. This demonstrator shown the progress for M1 NG going to be using auto loader (something that US Army resist so far), potential hybrid engine, more automation, etc.

 

[Terran]

It’s not that the U.S. army has refused an Automatic loader system. It’s that they just haven’t been in a position to do the major overhaul of the Abrams that would justify it.
The Thumper and CABBT (American Armata) both demonstrated automatic loaders. The XM1202 Mounted Combat system also was intended for one.
So what?
So Thumper and CABBT were very end of the Cold War. Right as BRAC was kicking off. After the 91 Gulf war it looked like the last of the armor on armor wars. With the Western Armor and Air power so dominating it looked one sided. The Question for the Army was What’s next? You have a mindset that the Army’s foreseeable future was peacekeeper.
So the Army tried to justify itself in a model based on the Yugoslav war. Thing is if all you see is old Soviet surplus armor at best more likely just a Hilux with some steel bolted on M1A2 is more than enough.
If anything the push was to try and field light armor. The Stryker and FCS programs.
Though FCS was supposed to feed into a major overhaul of the Abrams. Post 9/11 the Army is getting into operations in Iraq and Afghanistan COIN becomes order of the day.
So the opportunity isn’t there.
They are doing modernizing of the M1A2 with the Sep V program and in theory they could have added an Automatic loader with that but, the weight of the Abrams is climbing. Adding the loader to the A2 Turret isn’t going to offer a huge benefit. Tanks like K2 and LeClerc get a weight savings by reducing the size of the fighting compartment for 2 people as opposed to the 3 in Leopard 2, Abrams and Challenger.
So to justify the loader you need to replace the turret at which point you are basically shopping a new tank. Which is what M1E3 is really going to be.

 

[Terran]

Anyway the Chieftain interview on the M1E3 Demonstrator @ Detroit Autoshow.

 

[John Fedup]

The Bradley replacement might be going off the rails again. Would have thought attempt 7 would be a winner.

Is the Army about to shake up its Bradley replacement, XM30? Sources see major signs. - Breaking Defense

 

[Terran]

First I suspect we may be seeing a bit of an Echo of the Constellation class FFG here. The XM30 vehicles are very much customized to meet the US Army wants list similar to the British Ajax vehicles. GDLS even started with the same point of origin the ASCOD II then made major changes.
Because of this the process is already slowed down especially since the actual M30 vehicles would have changes farther. New engines, suspension, different main gun.
this is complicated even more as since the start of the project in 2015 needs changed. The drone threat rose significantly this made top attack which in 2017 was still the arena primarily of western ATGMs more prevalent.
CRAM was a bigger concern than air defense. One of the biggest priority changes seems to be that the Department of War isn’t as patient as the department of defense was.
Now the question is what if anything could come from this?
I doubt much. They want 10 prototypes between 40-80 tons later this year. Outside of the existing XM30 entry I doubt industry could meet that. Part of the original issue for the OMFV was that Rhinemetall had a hell of a time getting a prototype into the U.S. from Germany.