Have fun mates.
Posted on 09/22/2006 12:34:47 AM PDT by naturalman1975
The Australian Army has begun taking delivery of new tanks which, unlike their predecessors, are likely to see battlefield action, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson has warned.
The first 18 of 59 Abrams battle tanks - bought from the United States at a cost of $528 million - were unloaded at Port Melbourne on Friday.
Each weighs in at 63 tonnes and at full-throttle can hit almost 70 kph.
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Peter Leahy told a delivery ceremony in a container terminal that the Abrams were much superior to the army's 30-year-old Leopard tanks, which are being retired without ever having seen battle.
Dr Nelson said that while he hoped the Abrams would also never be used in anger, he suspected they would be.
"The 59 Abrams tanks that we are likely to be using over the next 30 years, I hope and pray that they will never have to be used in anger," he said.
"But I fear that those hopes may be dashed.
"The reality is that we are living in a world that is changing very quickly - it has changed enormously over the last five years especially."
The army's Abrams tanks have been reconditioned from a model first built in 1989, but Dr Nelson denied suggestions Australia had bought second-hand goods, saying most components were new.
"These are brand new tanks. They are as well-developed as they can possibly be," he added.
Lt-Gen Leahy said the Abrams was combat-proven.
"It will deliver superior levels of firepower, protection, mobility and communications," Lt-Gen Leahy said.
The US ambassador to Australia, Robert McCallum Jr, described the Abrams as one of the most "effective and lethal" weapons.
"We are delighted that our oldest and closest ally in the Pacific will be operating the Abrams tank alongside us, increasing our joint operational capabilities," Mr McCallum told the crowd.
The 18 tanks will be taken to army bases at Puckapunyal and Bandiana in Victoria. The remaining 41 tanks will be delivered to Darwin by mid-2007.
Have fun mates.
Wow, $528 million for a battalion of tanks.
But that's a battalion that can kick the hell out of any other armor in the world. It might give Indonesia a little pause in case they are considering grabbing Lebensraum from Australia.
I guess the 9+ million per tank includes a 30 yr warranty and 3rd party insurance :0)
Seriously, I'm glad the Aussies have such superior tanks. They'll be very useful.
Somebody hit the Treadhead Ping list for me. It's on my About page.
Good news.
But deploying those tanks is a little logistically tough.
Do the Aussies have LCATs or other ship-to-shore delivery assets capable of deploying the 70+ ton Abrams?
The Abrams tanks represent a significant step in providing Australia with a stronger Defence Force, with which to protect our people, interests and values.
Today, the Australian Government has taken delivery of the first 18 of 59 Abrams Tanks. This project is an investment of more than $500 million in Australia's security.
The Abrams project is ahead of schedule, and within budget. These tanks are the most advanced and capable tank in the world.
This capability will be increasingly important, as widespread proliferation of cheap, high tech and lethal anti-armour, anti-personnel weapons could pose an increasing threat in any future conflicts.
The Abrams Tank will provide our Army with the mobility, firepower and sophisticated networking capability with which to defeat the enemy, along with superior protection that will enhance safety for our soldiers. These tanks will be harder to hit. When the Abrams hit, they will hit harder.
Abrams tanks are a key component of the Hardened and Networked Army initiative announced last year. They will also enable us to co-ordinate and network with allies.
We will have a number of options for transporting these tanks, including: our new C-17 heavy airlift aircraft; Amphibious Ships; the Adelaide to Darwin rail network; and our new tank transporter trucks.
In total, Australia will take delivery of 59 Abrams tanks, seven M88A2 Hercules Armoured Recovery Vehicles, 14 Heavy Tank Transporters, eight Refueling Trucks, six Advanced Gunnery Training Simulators and one Tank Driver Trainer Simulator.
This significant investment further illustrates the importance of the Government's long standing commitment to Defence and ability to deliver a strong economy. Since 1996, funding for Defence has increased by more than 40% in real terms and the 2006/07 Budget committed to an average 3% real increase each year for the next decade.
The Abrams will be transported to the School of Armour at Puckapunyal, with the remainder of the 59 tanks eventually being based in Darwin.
Australian industry is playing a key role in delivering this capability. The prime contractor for the Heavy Tank Transporter is MAN Military Vehicle Systems Australia Pty Ltd. Drake Trailers Pty Ltd, an Australian-owned and operated Brisbane-based company, is manufacturing 14 swing-wing trailers. Brisbane-based MAN Automotive Imports Pty Ltd is making final modifications, conducting compliance testing, and will manage the ongoing repair and maintenance support.
Gunner! COAX! Muslims in the open! 800m! FIRE!
Thanks, pard.
I'll take a couple if they're cheap enough.
While looking for pictures of the actual delivery of the tanks, I found this:
http://www.defence.gov.au/minister/Hilltpl.cfm?CurrentId=3643
"Senator Hill said that the Abrams, with an approximate combat weight of 63 tonnes, was only around 500kg heavier than its competitors. It can be deployed throughout the region using existing naval vessels and infrastructure. The introduction of new amphibious ships from 2010 will give the Army unprecedented mobility and deployability throughout our region and beyond."
Lots of other good info on that website, too.
100k mile powertrain on all parts and service?
Wow. That's over 40mph! [hoot]
I wonder if we could talk the Aussies into taking a Dukakis with one of them.
Did they buy them to use in parades and pizza delivery?
Currently they could be deployed on the HMAS Kanimbla and the HMAS Manoora - which are ex-US Navy LSTs heavily modified. They could also deploy some on the HMAS Tobruk, but I don't know that that is actually part of any plan.
We are also in the process of selecting designs for at least two new amphibious vessels which among other functions will be capable of deploying the Abrams.
The RAAF is also taking delivery of some C-17s, although obviously you can only deploy tanks in small numbers at a time, that way.
Certainly could be useful as commuter vehicles, in dealing with ATL-area rush-hour traffic.
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