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.
Not to mention being able to drive on Bankhead highway (or whatever they call it these days) in relative safety.
Beer coolers.
I suspect that the M1 can travel a lot faster than 40mph. I've seen too many video clips of it leaving the ground.
8min, 12 sec video.
3RD ID THUNDER RUN!
The RPG team under the overpass is WILD!
Excellent.
Thanks for the info.
Seriously, I'm glad the Aussies have such superior tanks. They'll be very useful.
It included Abrams gunnery and maintenance training by U.S. Marine master gunners. The Aussies got a good deal, though it puts them at the mercy of the General Dynamics parts and spares supply chain, still probably a better deal than depending on the EuroGermans. But it still would have been interesting to see how the ex-Canadian/German Leos would have performed in the hands of the Oz tank crews. As with their old beloved *Cents,* they got the most out of the Leos.
Gunner, TanCan, [M1028 120mm Canister] Rags in the open, 800, FIRE! [On the Way!]
[BANG!!!] Repeat! [On the way!] [BANG!] Coax! Hose 'em!....
The Aussies are evaluating 2 European amphibious designs- a 22,000 tonne French design & a 27,000 Spanish one.Both designs seem very good with decent helicopter capacities & the RAN may just modify them for a couple of JSFs.Though the number of Abrams either design can carry would be less than 15.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra_class_large_amphibious_ship
BTW,if the Aussies think that these would see action,then 59 is too small a number.
I assure you, they will go a lot faster than that...the engine is governed.
Regards,
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