who can kill a modern Main Battle Tank (MBT)?

[giangnguyen]

Hi all,
Does any of you know any weapon that can probably achieve a kill against the US M1 A2 Abrams? Can the Soviet 125mmm smoothbore gun on the T-72 do that? I have read somewhere that the only weapon that can kill an M1 is the Hellfire missile. Could any one let me know any information on this issue? Many thanks.

Giang Nguyen

 

[Blackclaw]

The T-72 can do it from the front if it gets close enough - which is unlikely. On average, the M1a1 can pentrate the armor of a T-72 1000 meters further away than a T-72 can hurt the M1. Most modern antitank weapons can damage it or immobilize it from the side or rear.

 

[DarkAngel]

well only a well documented battle can prove that
because most countries, particular weapons exporters show their systems to be one fathom ahead of what they really are.
the iraqis downed 2 tanks using TOWS. which TOW they used and how it compares with t 72 firepower, that i dunno.

 

[giangnguyen]

you're right, the iraqis have knocked out 2 Abrams by TOW missile, but these all tow tanks were attacked from the back, where the protection is not so good as that in the front or side. Frontal or side attack I think is impossible to achieve a kill.

 

[Gremlin29]

M1

A T 72 is not even in the same league as the M1. They can be taken out of action as mentioned in close quarters and portions of the tank are vulnerable to weapons other than tank fire however crew survivability is quite high. The M1 is not immune to damage, but it is one bad motha. The biggest threat the M1 faces is from air attack, but such a powerful air force and the concept of the combined arms team the US has little to worry about in that area.

 

[ReVoLt]

Re: who can kill an M1 Abrams?

If you had to ask me, maybe a Leopard II, Challenger II, or a T-90, but other than that... Except maybe a few anti-tank rounds... Really nothing...

 

[Red aRRow]

Re: who can kill an M1 Abrams?

Around 4 days ago an American M1 A1 Abrams was destroyed by the Iraqi patriots by using a landmine. I think two of the crew got killed. :cop

I think the Russian Kornet E will disable, if not destroy, the M1.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/kornet/index.html

 

[The Watcher]

Russian made pg-7vr and the rpg-27 might have killed the tank in Iraq week or so ago.

 

[AnonymousDoe]

Its not that hard. M1A2s front armor is only around 1000mm. Most modern Anti-Tank missiles or DU round can destroy it

 

[Winter]

Re: who can kill an M1 Abrams?

The armour on an M1A2 is extremely capable. You're looking at a very small minority of systems capable of disabling it in just one or two shots.

 

[corsair7772]

The M1A2 is vunerable from air attack.The russians have a couple of missiles fired from SU-39s and stuff which can give hell 2 an M1. Also if a TU-160 drops about a couple of those heavy bombs the russians use to penetrate aircraft shelters on those M1....

 

[Awang se]

Any tank can be destroyed by aicraft from above by a heavy bomb. I think, to kill an abrams from distance, we need a guided round that actually attack from above. i'm thinking in a line of projectile that is launch from 45+ degrees angle (like mortar or howitzer) with sensors on the front. on the diving run, the seeker activated and seeking a target within intended parameters and dive toward the target.

 

[gf0012-aust]

The T-72 can do it from the front if it gets close enough - which is unlikely. On average, the M1a1 can pentrate the armor of a T-72 1000 meters further away than a T-72 can hurt the M1. Most modern antitank weapons can damage it or immobilize it from the side or rear.

The M1a2 has twice the range of the T72.

No RPG7's fired at an M1a2 have managed to disable it. Its armour is as good as the Challenger 2

There are currently no other tanks that have the Chobham armour that these tanks use, The Leclerc uses a variation of Chobham but has not been battle tested

 

[gf0012-aust]

you're right, the iraqis have knocked out 2 Abrams by TOW missile, but these all tow tanks were attacked from the back, where the protection is not so good as that in the front or side. Frontal or side attack I think is impossible to achieve a kill.

No M1a2' have been killed by anti-tank missiles. 1 has been destroyed by a 100kilo IED. But NO tank in the world at this stage could survive from an IED set into the ground like a mine.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Its not that hard. M1A2s front armor is only around 1000mm. Most modern Anti-Tank missiles or DU round can destroy it

Its not the thickness of the armour - it is the type of armour. M1a2's use a DU armour plate. In 1999 T72's that managed to close up to 1000 ft had their shells literally bouncing off the M1a2's.

DU and Chobham armour has so far withstood all direct hits. The Challenger 2 armour is rumoured to be stronger than the M1a2's

 

[gf0012-aust]

Any tank can be destroyed by aicraft from above by a heavy bomb. I think, to kill an abrams from distance, we need a guided round that actually attack from above. i'm thinking in a line of projectile that is launch from 45+ degrees angle (like mortar or howitzer) with sensors on the front. on the diving run, the seeker activated and seeking a target within intended parameters and dive toward the target.

To drop any ordinance from the air requires the other force to have air capability. Every war fought since 1989 has demonstrated that the US has had absolute and complete air supremacy. No airforce has survived an air war against the americans.

Warfighting now is completely different to any war waged prior to 1989.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Russian made pg-7vr and the rpg-27 might have killed the tank in Iraq week or so ago.

No, it was a 100k IED

 

[gf0012-aust]

Re: who can kill an M1 Abrams?

If you had to ask me, maybe a Leopard II, Challenger II, or a T-90, but other than that... Except maybe a few anti-tank rounds... Really nothing...

In a tank on tank war, the only tank at this stage that can go up against an M1a2 is either another M1aX or a Challenger 2. Both tanks are evenly matched. Possibly a Leclerc but the armour plating is unknown. It is believed to be a "stolen" earlier version of Choham armour.

The best armour in the world is universally recognised as Chobham 3. The Brits are the only ones with it.

A T90 is a T72-BU with an uprated gun. Even with reactive plates it will not survive a tank on tank duel. (see Iraq 1999). It has been proven to be vulnerable to TOW, Hellfires, Dragons, Milans and Javelins.

A T90 is the last tank I would be sitting in during a modern armoured war.

 

[Awang se]

A T90 is the last tank I would be sitting in during a modern armoured war

Exactly what i think

 

[Aussie Digger]

Re: who can kill an M1 Abrams?

Gf, I think Leopard 2A6 with it's newly upgraded 120mm main gun (L55 I think) plus it's new tungsten penetrator ammunition (DM53) would have the best chance of destroying an M1A2 in a purely tank on tank duel, provided it got the first hit. I don't know how the Leopard's armour would stand up to the 120mm gun on the abrams, but it is supposed to be pretty good these days. However if it's simply a matter of destroying a tank then there's more than one way to "skin a cat". The Abrams is as vulnerable as any other tank to a 'mobility kill'. Once it's track, sprockets or road wheels are destroyed it's not going anywhere and you can then (hopefully) manoevre to destroy the tank from behind or call in artillery. Even an Abrams would not stand up to an artillery bombardment.