The M1 Abrams (/ ˈeɪbrəmz /) [10] is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare, it is one of the heaviest tanks in service at nearly 73.6 short tons (66.8 metric tons).

Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour used in protecting vehicles, especially modern tanks, against shaped charges and hardened kinetic energy penetrators.

The ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) protection consists of cassettes. These cassettes are a layer of explosive material between two metal plates. ERA tile configurations substantially improve vehicle survivability against a range of threats. The protection can reduce soldier casualties and improve vehicle mission capabilities. Additional details ...

About 6,000 M1A1 Abrams were produced from 1986 to 1992 and featured the M256 120 mm smoothbore cannon developed by Rheinmetall AG of Germany for the Leopard 2, improved armor, and a CBRN protection system.

Jun 29, 2019 · U.S. Army soldiers in Europe are adding extra protection to their M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks in the form of explosive reactive armor. The explosive-filled packages could help the tanks stand up to increasingly advanced tanks and anti-tank munitions, like the ones Russia is developing or has already fielded to its own forces.

2 days ago · Both sides’ use of Soviet-era and more modern tank series proves that the age of the armored vehicle has not yet come to an end. ... the Abrams sported a 120mm main gun, armor-piercing ...

May 25, 2024 · The Abrams with the new anti-drone screen has additional explosive reactive armor (ERA) on top of its arrays of U.S.-standard M19 Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles (ARAT) along the sides of the hull. Four Soviet-designed Kontakt-1 ERA tiles had been added to the fronts of both sides of the hull.

Mar 28, 2023 · The Abrams has the option of mounting two layers of ERA on the side. There are large ARAT-1 tiles on the hull sides, and curved ARAT-2 tiles which can be placed over ARAT-1 on the hull sides and directly onto the turret sides. In the articles linked above, ARAT-1 alone was noted to weight 2 tons. In contrast, Kontakt-5 weighs 1.2 tons.

Dec 31, 2014 · US Army and USMC main battle tank of the last three decades. The M1 Abrams gained fame in the two gulf wars and in Afghanistan.

Jan 15, 2024 · A groundbreaking revelation emerges as a photo surfaces online, showcasing an M1A1SA Abrams tank from the Ukrainian Armed Forces equipped with state-of-the-art explosive reactive armor. Discover the intricacies of the 1st generation Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles (ARAT-1) and delve into the unique blend of protection offered by the ARAT-2 system.