Summary: The Abrams tank, a cornerstone of U.S. Army armored capabilities for over four decades, continues to evolve with its latest variant, the AbramsX, introduced by General Dynamics Land Systems in 2022. Initially developed as a successor to the M60 Patton, the Abrams tank's design was a response to the need for superior armored vehicles capable of confronting Soviet models like the T-62. The Abrams has consistently incorporated cutting-edge technology across its variants, from Chobham composite armor to multifuel engines and advanced fire control systems. The introduction of the Abrams X marks a significant leap forward, featuring a hybrid-electric drive for improved fuel efficiency and survivability, lower acoustic and thermal signatures, and enhanced mobility.

AbramsX: U.S. Army's Next-Gen Tank Sets New Standards for Armored Warfare

For four decades the Abrams family of tanks has been the mainstay of the U.S. Army’s armored corps. It has recently gained headlines in Ukraine, as M1 Abrams tanks arrived in Kyiv last fall to aid Ukraine’s defensive efforts. The delivery of these tanks, along with German Leopards and British Challengers, comes as armored vehicles continue to play leading roles on the frontlines. 

Over the years, the Abrams family has grown as progressively more sophisticated successors are introduced. In 2022, General Dynamics Land Systems debuted its newest Abrams variant — the AbramsX.

The History of the Abrams Tank

The Abrams tank traces its lineage from a 1960s program between the U.S. and West Germany to produce a single replacement MBT for the M60 Patton and Leopard 1 vehicles. The collaborative effort was designed to develop an MBT that could confront the Soviet Union’s fleet of armored vehicles, most notably the T-62. 

The resulting MBT-70 was far more advanced than its predecessors, featuring a range of new technologies. Budgetary constraints, however, were among the issues that led the Department of Defense to leave the program. 

The quest to produce an M60 Patton replacement was not over. The U.S. Army began work on an MBT-70 variant, the XM803. Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and General Motors submitted proposals to develop the new tank. Ultimately, Chrysler was awarded a $20 million contract to begin construction on the Abrams MBT.

Specs & Capabilities

From the outset, the Abrams offered several key advantages over its predecessors. The new tank featured Chobham composite armor, a multifuel engine, and a computerized fire control system. 

Within a decade, a second Abrams variant was produced. The M1A2 was equipped with a commander’s independent thermal viewer, an improved fire control system, the M1A2 System Enhancement Package, and other capabilities. The main armament of both the M1A1 and M1A2 variants is the M256 120mm smoothbore gun, developed by Rheinmetall AG of Germany. The primary Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot round of the Abrams tank is the depleted uranium M829 round. The Abrams tank can also fire High-Explosive Anti-Tank warhead charge rounds including the M830.

Introducing AbramsX

Last year, General Dynamics revealed a new Abrams tank variant. The AbramsX is expected to feature upgrades including a hybrid-electric drive propulsion system. Beyond improvements in fuel efficiency, the system will ensure greater survivability with lower acoustic and thermal signatures. The smaller size of the AbramsX tank will enable it to travel the same range, but with half the fuel consumption as its predecessors. The AbramsX is also being designed to embed an artificial intelligence capability.

A GDLS spokesperson told Breaking Defense last year that “What 76 and 78 [ton] tanks do to the military is challenge its logistical supplies, its ability to get across bridging in many of the countries that we might be called upon to fight and, so, specifically [the] Abrams X was meant to stimulate the conversation about what the zone of the possible would be to lighten the tank, integrate hybrid-electric drive capability and technology to produce silent mobility and silent watch capability, substantially increasing the … lethality of that platform.”

While detailed specs surrounding the AbramsX MBT remain highly classified, the new tank will certainly elevate the armored corps’ abilities when introduced. 

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Email the author: [email protected].