The U.S. Army's 'New' M-1A2C Abrams Tanks Will Enter Service Soon.
They will have enough this summer for one armored brigade. The Army has 58 combat brigades, 16 of them armored.
The new M-1A2C Abrams boasts new active and passive protection that could help to protect it from the latest enemy weaponry. The most obvious new features of the M-1A2C are the vehicle's Trophy active-protection systems and an additional slab of armor on the front of its turret.
Trophy uses a radar to detect incoming missiles and rockets then fires tiny projectiles to intercept the munitions. The Army also is back-fitting Trophy to some older M-1 models.Hopefully the Army will invest more in training its tank crews than it has in the last decade plus of fighting low intensity conflicts in the Middle East. Our teams didn't even qualify in an annual armor competition in Germany.The M-1A2C in essence is a better-protected M-1A2SEPv2 that's also easier to upgrade. In addition to Trophy and more armor, the new tank boasts more electrical power, better diagnostic systems and a data-link that's compatible with programmable ammunition types that are in development."The Abrams M-1A2C can host any mature technology the Army deems operationally relevant," the Army stated.
The latest version of the M-1 arguably is the best tank in the world. For now.