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Is the M-1 Abrams outclassed now?

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
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Super Moderator
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News from Germany yesterday.

Germany beefs up tank fleet with $832M acquisition

the Bundeswehr stands to get 104 used Leopard 2 battle tanks out of storage that manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann will upgrade under a contract with the German Defence Ministry from the A4 configuration to the newest A7V standard. The latest package includes improvements in the areas of information technology, armaments and armor.

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/germany-beefs-up-tank-fleet-with-832m-acquisition
Additional history nerdery: the commander's cupola on that tank has an MG3 machine gun. Chambered for 7.62x51 NATO, but mechanically a direct descendant of the MG42 . . . aka "Hitler's Buzzsaw."
 

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
That's a big mortar - Russians are using a 240mm on a tracked vehicle.

mortar.jpg


http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-russian-armys-super-gun-city-destroyer-17416

Then again, this puts everything in perspective. A 17" cannon on a tracked vehicle. Russians gave it a go but it did not work out.

4588.jpg


tumblr_n8xzd5ugjr1to475to1_500.jpg


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2B1_Oka
 

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Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
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Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
I thought this requirement was why the Army was going for the 105mm Stryker MGS. I mean, that’s a “light tank” in all but name.

According to some articles, it appears the Army was less than satisfied with the 105mm Stryker. If the Army is now proposing a new light tank, that would lead me to believe those articles were correct.

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-wheeled-cannon-that-everyone-hates-d5e6d22bdfcc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1128_Mobile_Gun_System

"The Army knows it. After buying just 142 MGS, the branch quietly shut down production. The Army plans to upgrade thousands of other Strykers with new, angled bottom hulls to better protect them against roadside bombs—but not the MGS."

1280px-Exercise_Allied_Spirit_I%2C_Day_5_150117-A-EM105-337.jpg
 

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
Good article on developments in Russian artillery - and what the US can do to counter it. References a devastating Russian artillery strike on the Ukrainians a few years ago. Interesting that the Russians are reactivating their heavy artillery units (203mm / 8") which has a range of 37,500 meters or 55,500 with a RAP.

KING OF BATTLE: RUSSIA BREAKS OUT THE BIG GUNS
https://www.ausa.org/articles/king-battle-russia-breaks-out-big-guns
 

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
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Good article on developments in Russian artillery - and what the US can do to counter it. References a devastating Russian artillery strike on the Ukrainians a few years ago. Interesting that the Russians are reactivating their heavy artillery units (203mm / 8") which has a range of 37,500 meters or 55,500 with a RAP.

KING OF BATTLE: RUSSIA BREAKS OUT THE BIG GUNS
https://www.ausa.org/articles/king-battle-russia-breaks-out-big-guns
There really isn’t much new here except the use of UAV’s. The Soviets ran their guns at battalion level and loved to mass them but never had anywhere near the accuracy on target as the US. They also appear to lack the sophisticated, in field, meteorological system NATO deploys meaning their guns might have range, but their capabilities are limited in their lack of accuracy.
 

Hotdogs

I don’t care if I hurt your feelings
pilot
Good article on developments in Russian artillery - and what the US can do to counter it. References a devastating Russian artillery strike on the Ukrainians a few years ago. Interesting that the Russians are reactivating their heavy artillery units (203mm / 8") which has a range of 37,500 meters or 55,500 with a RAP.

KING OF BATTLE: RUSSIA BREAKS OUT THE BIG GUNS
https://www.ausa.org/articles/king-battle-russia-breaks-out-big-guns
There really isn’t much new here except the use of UAV’s. The Soviets ran their guns at battalion level and loved to mass them but never had anywhere near the accuracy on target as the US. They also appear to lack the sophisticated, in field, meteorological system NATO deploys meaning their guns might have range, but their capabilities are limited in their lack of accuracy.

Lots of dubious accusations in that article. That specific Russian Artillery attack is more notable for its particular use of spotting targets in support of irregular warfare units than any earth shattering change in Russian Artillery doctrine.

UAVs can be jammed. Bigger guns are slower to displace. Manual gunnery is still practiced and individual batteries are tasked in direct and general support to individual maneuver battalions on a regular basis. Counter-battery fire is still a thing. Accuracy is important, but not when you’re leveling 5-6km grid squares with a permissive ROE.

Not saying that Artillery isn’t important. On the contrary, It is the more important fire support asset at the disposal of maneuver unit. More concerning is the lack of awareness by the authors of Army aviation attack units and joint EW capabilities. Also, they clearly have not been paying attention to recent operations in Syria. I can not speak to how the US Army operationally employs it’s artillery units, but I can say that the Marines already do a lot of what the article is suggesting, and have been for a long time. There is a point about better training to face a peer adversary, and that has got the attention of high level flag officers recently and is starting to make its way into training curriculum during rotations at 29 Palms and other training areas.
 
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