[Servant of the 9]

I can't imagine why it was never provided for the 120mm.

That's easy...the M1 Tank was conceived first and last as a killer of other tanks (unlike earlier US tanks). That is why they gave it the gas turbine engine, the night vision systems, stabilized gun, and eventually that 120-mm Rheinmetal smoothbore.

Yeah but not supplying cannister is like leaving the .50 cal off the top, it trashes a tanks ability to defend itself alone against close in infantry.

So9

[Tallguy]

Yeah but not supplying cannister is like leaving the .50 cal off the top, it trashes a tanks ability to defend itself alone against close in infantry.

I would tend to agree, but that was the thinking back then. Also, the basic load of the M1 would have to be re-jiggered. How many HEAT or Sabots do you want to give up in favor of a few Beehive rounds? Plus, Soviet doctrine called for their infantry to be mounted (BMP & BTR's) because they were probably sliming you (Chemicals). You'd kill mounted infantry with HEAT. Frankly, the M1 does need better anti-infantry capability...