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Weapons

Abrams Tank
Picture Source: National War College

Item	Tiger II	Abrams	Challenger
Combat Weight	57 Tons	63 tons (MIA2 = 69.5 tons)	62.5 tons estimated
Length	20.66 feet	32.25 feet (includes gun)	37.89 feet (includes gun)
Width	12.2 feet	12 feet	11.5 feet
Engine	4-stroke V-12 Gasoline	AGT-1500 turbine engine	12 cylinder diesel engine
Horsepower	700hp @ 3000rpm	1500 hp	1200 hp
Range	120 miles (Road) 60 miles (Cross Country)	265 miles (300 gals every 8 hours)(MIA2). 275 miles other models.	280 miles (Road) 155 miles (Cross Country)
Cost	25,000 RM	$4,300,000	4,210,000
Armour Type	Rolled homogeneous nickel-steel plate; electro-welded interlocking-plate construction.	Advanced armour similar to **Chobham armour. BBL2 or 3 most likely.	2nd generation **Chobham armour
Armour Front	3.94 inches	?	?
Armour Rear	3.15 inches	?	?
Armour Side	2.36 - 3.15 inches	?	?
Armour Turret	3.15 inches	?	?
Armour Turret Top	1.57-1.77 inches	?	?
Top Speed	28 mph	42 mph	37.4 mph
Main Gun	*88 mm rifled Cannon	120mm M256 Smooth Bore Cannon	120 mm rifled tank gun
Rounds Stored	92-120 per tank	40 per tank	50 per tank
Gun Range	2.79 miles	about 5 miles (extended range ammo)	Estimated at about same as Abrams
Secondary armament	1x 7.92mm MG34 mounted in hull + 1x7.92mm MG34 mounted co-axially. 5100 rounds stored.	7.62 M240 Machine guns, one mounted on a skateboard. 10,800 rounds stored.	Boeing 7.62 mm chain gun. 4000 rounds stored
Aux Weapons	1 x 7.92mm MG34 AA machine gun (later optional) 6 x smoke dischargers (later removed) 3 x 92mm bomb dischargers (later removed) one MP38/Mp40 machine pistol	Commander's 50 Caliber MG 1,000 rounds stored. Smoke Grenades 24 rounds stored.	7.62 mm GPMG L37A2 anti-air machine gun
Crew	5 people	4 people	4 people
Ground Clearance	1.5 feet	1 foot 7 inches	1.6 feet
Trench Crossing	8.2 feet	9 feet	?
Ground Pressure	14.8 - 20.4 psi	15.4 psi	0.97 kgf/mm

 

*One plan called for a 150 mm gun. ?=Not available

**Chobham armour is thought to consist of several layers of nylon micromesh, bonded on both sides by sheets of titanium alloy, in addition to several other layers of specialised armour and ceramics.

The U.S. Army’s flagship M1 Abrams tank could soon be fitted with a Russian missile defense system – a move that military experts say would have been unthinkable in the recent past. General Dynamics, maker of the Abrams tank, is considering the purchase of Russia’s Arena defense system. This system detects an incoming anti-tank missile and reacts by throwing a cassette containing explosives and fragments towards the missile. Upon detonation of the cassette, the fragments interact with the missile, such that its effectiveness decreases substantially.