(Australian) Diggers fired up as new Abrams tanks roll

The Australian ^ | September 12, 2007 | Andrew McGarry

[sukhoi-30mki]

Diggers fired up as new tanks roll

Andrew McGarry | September 12, 2007

THERE was no red carpet, just a thick layer of dust coating the gibber plain at Cultana Training Area yesterday.

But there was a big, excited crowd of soldiers in the hills outside Port Augusta to look on and take a few pictures of an action premiere: the first big hit-out for the Abrams tanks that have recently arrived to bolster Australia's military armoury.

For the next few weeks, the crews of 30 Abrams will be part of a huge influx of personnel at Cultana, on the grounds of the ElAlamein army base, 330km from Adelaide. In all, 1000 personnel from the Darwin-based 1Brigade are taking part in Exercise Southern Reach, testing a battle group that is co-ordinating elements of infantry, artillery, combat engineers, signals, service support, cavalry and tanks.

Four of the new tanks, which arrived in Australia earlier this year to replace the ageing Leopards, took part in the public display yesterday.

Lieutenant Rutten was impressed with the Abrams, which has a gas-turbine jet engine instead of the traditional diesel, making it a lot quieter and more powerful than its predecessors.

The Abrams differs from older tanks in that it is bigger, with less space but more armour.

"An analogy could be that this is like a brand-new Mercedes-Benz, while the old one is like a1975 model," Lieutenant Rutten said.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[stm]

Lets roll!

Nothing says it better than a 120mm smoothbore gun loaded with DU or tungsten sabot rounds.

[Ancesthntr]

I’m glad to see that a strong ally is getting these, esp. one as potentially vulnerable to the Chinese. Does anyone know how many of these fine pieces of equipment the Aussies are getting?

[sukhoi-30mki]

I think the order is for 59 used American versions.It’s actually the smallest order for Abrams tanks till now.

[Tallguy]

Lieutenant Rutten was impressed with the Abrams, which has a gas-turbine jet engine instead of the traditional diesel, making it a lot quieter and more powerful than its predecessors.

I'll have to double-check the power plant. I remember reading a couple of years back that the Aussies wanted a conventional diesel powerpack in lieu of the Gas Turbine. Maybe they changed their minds?

[Tallguy]

It looks like the Aussies did indeed get the Gas Turbine power plant. My recollection of an alternate diesel power plant is either faulty, or it never got out of the proposal stage.

[sukhoi-30mki]

This document says that they will come with the gas turbines-

http://www.defence.gov.au/minister/Hilltpl.cfm?CurrentId=3643

Besides,it doesn’t make much sense to put a new propulsion system into a refurbished tank.

[Tallguy]

Besides,it doesn’t make much sense to put a new propulsion system into a refurbished tank.

I never thought it did either. What it would have done is increase the unit cost of the tanks while decreasing performance.

OTOH, it might have had some logistical benefits for the Aussies, streamlining the POL requirements of the battlegroup. But I have no idea what the Aussie's use from a fuel standpoint other than the known fact that their Leo 1's are diesel.

The Gas Turbine in the Abrams is "multi-fuel" so it probably doesn't make much of a difference when in a pinch.

[Ancesthntr]

Well, 59 of these things, if manned by well-trained and highly-motivated crew, can do tremendous damage to any force that may land in Australia. Plus, I'm sure that the Aussies will buy more once they see how well the Abrams performs.