I worked for General Dynamics for about 10 years. The Army kept telling us they wanted smaller, lighter armored vehicles and GD kept telling them, “No, you don-t.” GD and GD-s bought politicians have prevented the Army from moving away from the heavy vehicles. Congress has forced the Army to continue buying a version of the Abrams with a fuel hungry old tech engine where the newest German and Russian engines develop similar power much more efficiently. The continued forced buys have prevented the Army from upgrading the engine on existing units.
If we get our *ss kicked on the battlefield, that *sskicking will have started in Congress.
I thought the Abrams’ gas turbine, although a fuel guzzler, was one of the most powerful deployed on a main battle tank.