New tanks to see battle, warns Nelson (Australia begins to take delivery of Abrams)

The Age (Melbourne) ^ | 22nd September 2006

[from occupied ga]

Certainly could be useful as commuter vehicles, in dealing with ATL-area rush-hour traffic.

Not to mention being able to drive on Bankhead highway (or whatever they call it these days) in relative safety.

[Enchante]

Wow. That's over 40mph!

Can't speak from personal experience but a show on the Military Channel said the tank's gun has such great stability and tracking that while the tank is going 40 mph the gunner can hit a target the size of a pie plate at more than 1.5 miles away..... pretty awesome!

[Billthedrill]

Those look like launchers on either side of the turret, but they're not.

Beer coolers.

[1rudeboy]

I suspect that the M1 can travel a lot faster than 40mph. I've seen too many video clips of it leaving the ground.

[ChadGore]

Coming soon to another middle east capitol city.

8min, 12 sec video.

3RD ID THUNDER RUN!

April 5th, 2003

The RPG team under the overpass is WILD!

[SJSAMPLE]

Excellent.
Thanks for the info.

[archy]

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.

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.

[archy]

Gunner! COAX! Muslims in the open! 800m! FIRE!

Gunner, TanCan, [M1028 120mm Canister] Rags in the open, 800, FIRE! [On the Way!]
[BANG!!!] Repeat! [On the way!] [BANG!] Coax! Hose 'em!....

[sukhoi-30mki]

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.

[Thunder 6]

I assure you, they will go a lot faster than that...the engine is governed.
Regards,

[poxviridae]

59 of those will be a big and much needed upgrade for the
Armoured Regiment although the logistics are going to be a nightmare at first. still there is nothing more beautiful than 63 tonnes of war machine traveling at full throttle