Posted on 10/11/2022 10:34:27 AM PDT by re_tail20
General Dynamics Land Systems has officially unveiled its AbramsX future main battle tank concept in the flesh — or should we say 'in the steel.' Earlier this week we wrote up the latest on this feature-packed M1 Abrams evolution, but now we get to see the actual hardware ahead of the Association of the U.S. Army's big conference in Washington, D.C., this week. You can get up to speed on what we know about the tank in that piece linked here.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/next-generation-abramsx-tank-will-have-hybrid-powerplant
Suffice it to say, the AbramsX very much looks the part of a future tank, with its highly revised turret that features multiple electro-optical sights and a remote weapon station sporting a big 30mm chain gun. The sniper gray-like urban camouflage with countershading along its serrated skirt also gives it a very futuristic look, as does its XM360-derivative 120mm cannon with its ported muzzle brake.
But the heavily-armored tank's hybrid powertrain buried deep inside it is probably its most exciting feature. General Dynamics says this will result in a whopping 50 percent fuel saving — the Abrams' kerosene-guzzling turbine engine has long involved a major logistics-versus-performance trade-off. This hybrid system will also allow AbramsX to operate silently while sitting idle and possibly for short durations at low speed, which would provide a huge tactical advantage.
An unmanned turret with an auto-loading ammunition system makes possible a reduced crew size, down from four to three. This is also a major draw, increasing survivability and freeing up space in the turret for more capabilities. Reducing manpower is also high on the list of wants for armies around the world. The AbramsX is lighter than its predecessors, bucking the ongoing trend of increasingly massive M1 variants.
The digital backbone for the tank will be the KATALYST Next Generation Electronic Architecture (NGEA)....
(Excerpt) Read more at thedrive.com ...
And all we need is a bunch of rare earth minerals controlled by China to build and operate this thing and keep out of the rain do t want the batteries to explode lol
More likely to be used rolling down Main Street, USA, than any foreign dirt in those tracks.
Sorry... but I got an extra +10 for matching the color and size...
It’s a hybrid. I think that is a very good thing. Massive torque, and energy reclamation. I’m not a fan of EV’s, but for certain situations, hybrids are awesome. And I think a tank is one of those situations.
And all we need is a bunch of rare earth minerals controlled by China to build and operate this thing and keep out of the rain do t want the batteries to explode lol
“120mm smooth bore? How many tons?
Diesel?”
__________
Hybrid propulsion. Something like a diesel-electric locomotive only cleaner-burning -—— at least according to the thread about this yesterday
What is the troop in the top right doing?
Oh, I thought this was about Stacey Abrams.....she’s a tank.
Arguably, the designers anticipate that by providing for the new tank to have reduced maintenance needs. There is a broad trend in US military designs to that effect.
Cuban Leaf, agreed. IF the system is reliable. Heavy fuel hybrid electrics add an another degree of freedom. Tanks spend a lot of time quietly sitting overwatch. If we can charge them externally while they wait patiently for their victim to appear... that said, they still need immediate and massive power to be able to transit long distances at high speed and be refueled quickly. I would like to see this the data on range and a comparison to the M1A.
What is the troop in the top right doing?
—
Laughing at the inferior US tank in waiting?
Well...gotta admit...we had a Prius. Would buy one again.
The whole idea behind a hybrid is that it has an ICE as well as electric power. The electric adds torque and reclaims energy on braking, and the batteries are also charged while running on ICE power. And on a side note, it can also add absurdly quiet operation when electric only.
My daughter has a Chrysler Pacifica “plug-in” hybrid mini-van. It has the normal V6 engine as well as electric power. It will go 35 miles on electric only, and will do just fine if you never plug it in, just like a Prius.
So, as long as this thing is reliable, this is a serious improvement from pure ICE power, IMO.
Some may be manned by the newly recruited bloodthirsty IRS agents.
I rented a Prius once. I was shocked at the acceleration.
The Tank is complete with brake lights and turning signal lights on the rear.
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3 side by side in the front. I wonder who does track maintenance?
Its diesel-electric propulsion.
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