M1E1 Abrams American Experimental MBT - Catching up!

Following the failure of the MBT-70 joint project, the need for a new tank for West Germany and the USA had not gone away.

One of the main points of value for those projects was the interchangeability of parts and, even after the joint project had been terminated, the desire for more interchangeability continued. In 1974, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the USA and West Germany in which the USA would test the German Leopard 2 with the goal of standardizing as much as possible between the two tank programs. This was followed, in 1976, by an addendum in which the components to be standardized were identified.

It was here that the decision was made to select the German 120 mm smoothbore gun for both tanks, although it was apparent that the first series M1 entering production would have to be armed with the M68 105 mm gun instead, as the 120 mm was not ready. In 1976, the project to upgun the M1 with this 120 mm smoothbore gun was already set out, naming this first variant as the M1E1.

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Information sources:
Hunnicutt, R. (1990). Abrams - A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Presidio Press, California, USA
Mesko, J. (1989). M1 Abrams in Action Squadron/Signal Publications, USA
Janes Armour and Artillery 1985-86, Janes Information Group
Lucas, W., Rhoades, R. (2004). Lessons from Army System Developments Vol. II - Case Studies. UAH RI Report 2004-1
Organic Composite Applications for the M1/M1A. (1986). Allen Pivett. General Dynamics Land Systems, Michigan.
US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. (1991). A Physiological Evaluation of a Prototype Air-Vest Microclimate Cooling system. United States Army Medical Research and Development Command, Natick, Maryland, USA
US Dept. of the Army. (1983). 1983 Weapon Systems. US Dept. of the Army, Washington D.C., USA
US Dept. of the Army. (1984). 1984 Weapon Systems. US Dept. of the Army, Washington D.C., USA
US Dept. of the Army. (1985). 1985 Weapon Systems. US Dept. of the Army, Washington D.C., USA
US Dept. of the Army. (1984). Army Modernization Information Memorandum (AMIM) Vol. 1. US Dept. of the Army, Washington D.C., USA
Zaloga, S. (2018). M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, Osprey Publishing, England

Image sources:
US Department of Defense
Hunnicutt, R. (1990). Abrams - A History of the American Main Battle Tank. Presidio Press, California, USA
Mesko
US National Archives
Zaloga, S. (2018). M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank, Osprey Publishing, England
Mesko, J. (1989). M1 Abrams in Action Squadron/Signal Publications, USA
David Bocquelet

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An article by Andrew Hills
Video mounted by Big Turn: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6DtUnBtM3mx88ilK5Ng_aw
Audio edited by Kraiger
Voicing by Stan Lucian

Видео M1E1 Abrams American Experimental MBT - Catching up! канала Tank Encyclopedia