New Army M1E3 Abrams Tank on the Fast Track (From Veterans Radio)

The Army’s new M1E3 Abrams tank is on a lightning schedule to deliver five years early.  Dale Throneberry, Host of Veterans Radio, flew UH-1 Hueys with the 195^th Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam in 1969.  With Veterans Radio broadcasting nationwide from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Throneberry was keen to talk about Army technology and “the new Abrams tank that they were rolling through the Huntington Center” for the Detroit Auto Show. 

The new Abrams is called the M1E3 because of the engineering changes, including a Caterpillar diesel engine, which can be serviced all around the world, and a hybrid electric drive.  Army Chief of Staff General George and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll are an effective team, and they have committed to have the tank in the hands of soldiers by 2028, five years ahead of the original schedule.  Tanks are the bottom line for deterring Russian forces across Europe.  Highlights from the interview, below. 

Fuel Efficiency.  The Army says that it is going to make the tank about 20 to 30% lighter.  “The current Abrams, we’re talking about 80 tons, so if we can go down to 60 tons, that would be great.  The Army’s talking about fuel efficiency improvements for the M1E3 of up to 50%.”

Open Systems Software.  “A new system like this is usually built around almost a ‘plug and play’ open systems architecture.  Soldiers, now and in the future, can use this to install new apps and upgrade capabilities without having to go through all the rigorous and extensive testing.  You plug it in at a point in the vehicle software where all the things that make the vehicle run are protected, but the new app can come in.” 

Three-Man Crew: The crew “will be very connected to network battle space and still have the massive, fantastic firepower that the Abrams is known for.”

Ukraine War Lessons: The Army is taking very careful notes from the Ukraine war, looking at anti-drone systems and drone protection.  “The Army says, look, we’ve got the best tanks now, we want to have the best tanks in 2030, and the best tanks in 2040.  We always want the American Abrams to be the best tank, absolutely.”

What About Russia:  Throneberry asked whether Russia or China are developing new tanks that are comparable at all to the Abrams.  “Russia is doing a lot of manufacturing, but they aren’t able to innovate in the same way.  They’ve lost thousands of tanks in Ukraine, and yet they are still able to produce.“

Tanks In Europe.  “We still really need the tank in Europe.  When you look at the key points in the Baltics, the Suwalki gap; you know if you’re Romania, if you’re Poland, and you’re going to look at Russia for the next several generations, knowing what they’ve done in Ukraine.   You want a lot of tanks.   When we get a ceasefire in Ukraine, you’re looking at an 800-mile front.  Ukraine is going to need advanced tanks so that there is never a possibility for Putin to change his mind.  In the end, it really is the tanks that are able to deter the taking of territory.”

Full interview here.