This isn't entirely true. While it is true that the Abrams (and most truly modern MBTs) use Chobham-like armor, the US made a number of technological improvements to the basic Chobham concept which are unique to our tanks. In essence, we used our superior materials engineering capability (which the Europeans can't touch) and greatly extended the performance envelope of the basic concept.
The British can probably be credited with the core concept, but we probably have the most advanced implementation of the concept and have made a number of improvements to it.
What is this stuff? Or is it some big secret we're not meant to know about?