Armor tests on M1A1

Some explosive devices are blown close to a M1A1 for testing the armor.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Armor
• tank
• M1A1
• aec51

[bluewolf20]

A Russian export tank is generally a pathetic copy of the version for the Russian homeland. When Syria purchased tanks from Russia only the first couple had the advertised armour package. The rest had much less armour so much they weighed less. Syrians checked the first couple they received and not the rest. Thats part of the reason they did so poorly against the Israeli's.

Simple rule buy Russian, and get ripped off. Kinda funny.

[EasyEs]

The lower hull at that. The tank was designed to fight hull down in WW3 so the lower hull is only about 700mm vs CE. It was a marginal penetration that didn't cause much internal damage. Any hit on the lower hull of the T-90 etc would have similar results. That said the RPG-29 is a good weapon.

[Talshet]

M1A2 is known for its weak armored pan. Old RPGs had penetrate the pan from side. And the US ERA is just 1st generation like the 1960s russian ERA, but now russians ERA kontakt5, relikt and Kaktus is 3rd generation of ERA about 60% better than Kontakt 1 and reduce KE Ammunition.

[liverallstrong]

All the tests were succesful. None of the attacks were able to penetrate or injure the crew. The last test caused some structural damage but the tank was operational after all this. It was also fully equipped with its normal armaments and fuel. What a monster of a tank.

[gmlviper]

@bluewolf20

People reading your comment will believe that there isn't any of quality control on an army, especially when purchasing expensive things like tanks...

[EasyEs]

@cr9527 If the frontal armor of the hull was just empty i would agree but it isn't. there are some armor diagrams at the SB wiki website you can look at to give you an idea (very general) of the armor layout of an early Du version of the M1a1

[cr9527]

@EasyEs

I think those figures would only fir the turret of the Abrams.

[EasyEs]

@cr9527 Thank you for pointing that out. I was refering to the Challenger 2 however. AFAIK the front hull of the M1A2 has even greater protection on the left and right sides due to the placement of gas tanks there. I think it is well over 1500mm vs CE and probably greater then 800mm vs KE at those spots.

If that is true then the tank would be very hard to kill from a frontal engagement, with any weapon that doesn't hit around the drivers hatch or turret ring

[cr9527]

@EasyEs

Actually, the lower hull of an M1A2 SEP has been estimated to be 650mm vs KE, and 970mm vs CE.

[TheJBJB710]

Do yo know where they tested the armor?

[zackhanscom]

@hotpocketpoison yes. in the last, you would be heavily injured by spalling.

[rexregum]

@bluewolf20 monkey models! ugh!