American tank M1A2 ABRAMS COBI 2622 - Armed Forces

You know that:

• The requirement for a new main battle tank to replace the outdated and obsolete M60 Patton was already established in 1973.
• The development work lasted 3 years during which the US Department of Defense had to modify its requirements several times.
• The tank was designed using the most advanced technologies of the time with maximum crew protection in mind. For this reason, the tank does not have automatic reloading and the ammunition is stored behind a sliding safety bulkhead.
• Due to the heavy armour and the high weight, the designers had to abandon the planned diesel engine, and so the Abrams was one of the first in the world to be fitted with a gas turbine with astonishing power.
• Over the next few years, a tank was created that is rightly ranked among the best in the world.
• The first machines were inducted into service in 1980 under the name of General Creighton Abrams.
• The tanks have undergone constant upgrades, during which they have been equipped with an extremely precise fire control system, "shoot and hit", or armour containing depleted Uranium.
• The exact composition of the 3rd generation armour is known only to a few people who have been assigned to the Secret Service bodyguards for life.
• The modern chassis and tracks with composite parts has a service life of over 4,400 km. At first glance, that doesn't seem like much, but in the category of super-heavy tracked vehicles, it's extremely good value.
• Despite the exceptional quality of the armour, an incident occurred during the Gulf War that has not yet been adequately explained. One tank was hit by an unknown missile during an operational deployment, leaving a sharply demarcated clear shot about 12 mm in diameter at the entrance and exit of the missile, and it is still unknown what weapon could have done this.
• The silent-running propulsion turbine, capable of burning gasoline, diesel, or kerosene, is also very interesting.
• More than 10,288 were produced in various versions up to 1996.
• The manufacturer is currently working on another upgrade, designated SEPv4, which will probably be the last before the arrival of a completely new tank design.

Technical parameters:

• dimensions: length 9.83 m, width 3.8 m, height 2.44 m
• weight 66 800 kg
• 3rd generation armour (armour details are classified top secret)
• power plant Avco Lycoming AGT1500C twin-compressor gas turbine with 1 119kW 
• automatic transmission gears 4 forward + 2 reverse
• maximum speed 67.7 km/h
• range 426 km
• main weapon M256 smooth bore cannon 120 mm calibre (42 rounds)
• secondary weapon M2HB heavy machine gun 12,7 mm calibre (900 rounds) and 2x M240 machine gun 7,62 mm calibre (11 400 rounds)
• crew of 4