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The M1 Abrams is a main battle tank family used by the United States military and several allied nations. It matters because as a primary combat vehicle, it plays a central role in modern ground warfare and military defense capabilities.
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The M1 Abrams (/ˈeɪbrəmz/) is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heaviest tanks in service at nearly 73.6 short tons (66.8 metric tons). It introduced several modern technologies to the United States armored forces, including a multifuel turbine engine, sophisticated Chobham composite armor, a computer fire control system, separate ammunition storage in a blowout compartment, and NBC protection for crew safety. Initial models of the M1 were armed with a 105 mm M68 gun, while later variants feature a license-produced Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 designated M256.
The M1 Abrams was developed from the failed joint American-West German MBT-70 project that intended to replace the dated M60 tank. There are three main operational Abrams versions: the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, with each new iteration seeing improvements in armament, protection, and electronics.
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Accuracy disputes from December 2024Cold War tanks of the United StatesCommons link from WikidataGas turbine vehiclesGeneral Dynamics land vehiclesMain battle tanks of the Cold WarMain battle tanks of the United StatesMilitary vehicles introduced in the 1970sSource attributionTanks named after individuals