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AbramsX Next Generation Main Battle Tank Breaks Cover
The War Zone ^ | October 9, 2022 | Tyler Rogoway

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 ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: abramstank
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To: re_tail20

I’d like a BOLO Mark XVIII please.
Keith Laumer is waiting too.


41 posted on 10/11/2022 12:29:11 PM PDT by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
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To: cuban leaf
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.

Hybrid diesel-electrics have been the obvious solution for a lot of applications for quite a while. Trains have done it for decades.A well-built diesel is going to be efficient as all get out. The only problem is, that the environuts hate diesel engines, so it's a non-starter.

42 posted on 10/11/2022 12:36:11 PM PDT by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
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To: EEGator

Person on the right is the loader.


43 posted on 10/11/2022 12:46:20 PM PDT by Datom69
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To: Datom69

Thank you. I seriously had no clue.


44 posted on 10/11/2022 12:46:57 PM PDT by EEGator
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To: re_tail20

Ported muzzle brake on a 300 mag is loud.

Wonder what this thing sounds like!


45 posted on 10/11/2022 1:02:55 PM PDT by saleman
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To: re_tail20

Lighter…..better mileage…..360 degree view from helmet…..

I like.

I looked at some of the connected stories.

I’m glad I’m retired.


46 posted on 10/11/2022 1:04:03 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer” )
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To: re_tail20

How many will we leave in Ukraine for the Russians to get like we left all that gear in Afghanistan?


47 posted on 10/11/2022 1:13:18 PM PDT by ro_dreaming (Joe Biden is the dementia riddled, no-filter grifter he's always been - just now, we get to see it.)
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To: re_tail20

Tanks are death traps for the crew members...I would guess in a few more years they’ll be completely obsolete.


48 posted on 10/11/2022 1:18:33 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Red Badger

Textron/Howe & Howe is all over it.


49 posted on 10/11/2022 1:19:06 PM PDT by pingman ("I ain't in no ways tarred.." of WINNING!)
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To: moovova

Not an EV. Hybrid power system, which actually makes sense with all of the tech.


50 posted on 10/11/2022 1:22:06 PM PDT by jdsteel (PA voters: it’s Oz or Fetterman. Deal with it and vote accordingly.)
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To: Red Badger

The actual plan seems to include a drone driver in the vacated fourth seat.


51 posted on 10/11/2022 1:30:30 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: gov_bean_ counter

120mm smooth bore.


52 posted on 10/11/2022 1:31:30 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: Steely Tom

It is not an EV. It is a diesel-electric hybrid, similar to railway locomotives. It sports an eight cylinder diesel engine that can be operated in 4, 6, or eight cylinder mode. That gives it a 50% reduction in fuel consumption that is badly needed. The turbine engine will not be used.


53 posted on 10/11/2022 1:36:16 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: blitz128

It isn’t an EV machine. It is a diesel-electric hybrid that can run 100% from the diesel engine.


54 posted on 10/11/2022 1:37:56 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: WinstonSmith1984
It is just like an Abrams except the turbine engine has been dumped in favor of a diesel-electric hybrid. It uses fuel at 50% the rate of the M1A with the same performance. Using an unmanned turret eliminates the bulky mechanisms and a lot of electrical slip rings. The crew is safer because the armor can be thicker and the ammo is outside of the crew compartment. Many drive components have been eliminated due to the use of electric drive motors, increasing the weight allotment toward more armor.

It is a good design.

55 posted on 10/11/2022 1:44:10 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: M Kehoe

Whatever you do, DO NOT READ the article! It is much better to people read it for you.


56 posted on 10/11/2022 1:47:03 PM PDT by GingisK
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To: GingisK
It is just like an Abrams...

But without the diastema.

And little in the way of excess fat or the blue dress.

57 posted on 10/11/2022 2:04:53 PM PDT by Snake Skin Sonny
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To: GingisK

My comment was meant to be ironic.

I hope the electronics is EMP-proof.


58 posted on 10/11/2022 2:45:31 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: zeugma

You take the Bolo, I wanna go hang out with Retief and the gang. Well, aside from Ambassador Magnan, that is, he can go sod off.


59 posted on 10/11/2022 3:04:15 PM PDT by Kommodor (Solzhenitsyn was an optimist...)
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To: Delta 21

right? less isn’t more...


60 posted on 10/11/2022 4:05:59 PM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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