The Tank That Congress Will Not Kill

My Comment: Groan .... :(

No More U.S. Tank Production?

M1 Abrams tank. (Photo from Defense Industry Daily)

Army Plan To Halt US Tank Production Draws Fire In Congress -- ABC News

The Army's M1 Abrams tank has careened across battlefields in U.S. combat operations since 1980.

But now the 75-ton, American-made icon is at the center of the federal budget debate, with the Pentagon calling for production to halt and Congress determined to say no.

The Army says taxpayers could save $1.3 billion in the defense spending bill for fiscal year 2012 if lawmakers agreed to temporarily shutter the nation's only tank production facility in Lima, Ohio, for at least three years, starting in 2013.

The closure would be the first cessation of U.S. tank production since World War II.

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My Comment: This is another example of America's industrial base closing down.

Russia’s Next Battle Tank?

Russia Showcases Its Next-Generation Tank -- The Compass/Real Clear World

Russian "Urlavagonozavod" tank production facility has showcased - although not publicly - its next generation T-95 main battle tank, also known as "Project 195." The new tank differs from the currently fielded T-90 by a low silhouette, remote-operated turret and a special armored compartment for the crew.

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My Comment: There is more information on this tank here, and here.

An Invisble Tank?

Unlike conventional forms of camouflage, the images on the hull would change in concert with the changing environment always insuring that the vehicle remains disguised .

Invisible Tanks Could Be On Battlefield Within Five Years -- The Telegraph

British military scientists plan to develop an army of "invisible" tanks ready for use on the battlefield within five years.

Armoured vehicles will use a new technology known as "e-camouflage" which deploys a form "electronic ink" to render a vehicle "invisible".

Highly sophisticated electronic sensors attached to the tank's hull will project images of the surrounding environment back onto the outside of the vehicle enabling it to merge into the landscape and evade attack.

The electronic camouflage will enable the vehicle to blend into the surrounding countryside in much the same way that a squid uses ink to help as a disguise.

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My Comment: What can I say, but a look into Britain's military future (maybe).

The Quiet Demise Of The Battle Tank

The M1A2

From New Wars:

* Number of Stryker wheeled armored vehicles purchased this past decade for the US Army-2,988
* Number of Main Battle Tanks purchased in the same time period-O

That is really amazing when you consider that tracked armored vehicle production has been ongoing in this country since the 1910’s, even during during the dark days of the Depression. Here’s more from Strategypage:

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My Comment: A good summary of tanks and what is their future in the U.S. military

Russian Military Denies Existence Of New 'Super-Tank'

T-80U Main Battle Tank, Russia

From RIA Novosti:

MOSCOW, September 13 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian military has denied the existence of a new-generation main battle tank (MBT) based on T-80 design and featuring explosive reactive armor and a box-shaped turret.

The Russian media has recently resumed discussion of the secret tank, dubbed Black Eagle, which was developed by the Omsk Transmash design bureau and whose pictures were shown in several publications and on the Internet.

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Update: Russians deny new type of 'supertank' -- UPI

Al-Khalid, Type 98 and T-90 Continue to Dominate World Tank Market

T-90

From Defense Talk:

NEWTOWN, Conn: In its annual analysis “The Market for Tanks,” the Forecast International Weapons Group projects that the international market will produce over 6,500 main battle tanks, worth in excess of $26.76 billion, through 2018. However, while increased modernization and retrofit remains transparent to FI’s analysis of new-production tanks, this factor remains a significant component of the international market.

Dean Lockwood, weapons systems analyst at Forecast International, notes that “in 2008, U.S. Department of Defense contract awards for the maintenance, RESET, and upgrade of the existing M1 Abrams inventories carried a total value in excess of $1.46 billion. That was equivalent to more than 46 percent of the total value of all new-production main battle tanks entering the international market in 2008 (nearly $3.17 billion). Last year, the Chinese Type 98 program maintained its position as the single largest new-production program. Yet, with a total value of $395.79 million (for 116 new-production tanks), the Type 98 program was worth only about 27.11 percent what the U.S. DoD spent on the M1 Abrams in 2008.”

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My Comment: For more information, Just For Sharing Ideas has more information on tanks. The link is here.