Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest
tanks in service at nearly 68 short tons.
The M1 Abrams was developed from the failure of the MBT-70 project to
replace the obsolescent M60 tank. There are three main operational abrams
versions the M1, M1A1 and M1A2 with each new iteration seeing improvements
in armament, protection and electronics.
The Russian T-14 armada tank receives a lot of attention from around the
world, with some advocates of the platform and reports claiming it may be
the best tank in the world.
T-14 Armata Vs M1 Abrams
The answer may remain unknown or at least full of mystery unless there is a
direct warfare engagement involving a T-14 armata and upgraded m1 abrams
tank, a serious development likely not wished for by anyone.
However there are some interesting points of comparison and several of the
reports on the T-14 claiming that it is superior seem to completely overlook
defining elements of an upgraded abrams.
T-14 Armata Vs M1 Abrams: Distance
A report from hotcars.com in 2020 for example tries to claim that the T-14
can operate at ranges of 310 miles, compared to a 265 mile range for an
abrams tank. It is not clear if a range difference of this kind, if accurate
would have a massive tactical impact given the advent of unmanned systems
capable of sustaining long endurance forward armored reconnaissance
missions.
T-14 Armata Vs M1 abrams: Firepower
The hotcars.com report also says the T-14 is more powerful than rival tanks
writing the T-14 sports the all-new 2A 82 to 1M 125 millimeters, smoothbore
cannon, replacing the older 2A 46,125 millimeters gun of previous russian
and soviet tanks.
This cannon is more powerful than its western counterparts like the German
Leopard 2's rhine metal 120 millimeters gun.
T-14 Armata Vs M1 abrams: Lethality
This claim however offers little to no specifics about abram's lethality and
likely does not account for several key lethality enhancements made to the
Abrams such as its ammunition datalink, programmable fuse a new
multi-purpose ammunition round which combines several different rounds into
one, such as high explosive anti-tank rounds and anti-personnel canister
rounds.
Newer variants of the abrams tank, for example will include new laser
rangefinder technology, color cameras integrated onboard networks, new slip
rings, advanced meteorological sensors, ammunition data links and laser
warning receivers.
T-14 Vs M1 Abrams: Technology
Other elements of the abrams left out of the hotcars.com report include the
incorporation of advanced computing electronics, targeting technologies and
auxiliary power units able to redefine combat operations moving into the
future.
Ultimately, targeting range and accuracy of high fidelity sensors and
computing will most likely determine which tank might be superior.
Small differences in lethality will likely matter less if one tank is able
to see the other while the other cannot detect at similar ranges.
The tank that can find target and hit the other from the longer range is
likely to prevail in any kind of war engagement.
The Abrams is being engineered with AI capable computer processing and a
fast emerging ability to operate nearby drones and function in a manned
unmanned teaming capacity. Will the armada be similar in this respect?
Unknown..!!
