Future of US military: M1E3 tank to replace Abrams by 2030

The M1 Abrams tank was developed in the 1970s. Despite its age, modernizations have kept this American vehicle—much like the German Leopard 2—among the most advanced tanks globally.

Nonetheless, the United States is already working on a new tank featuring a construction system distinct from current models, highlighting the impressive pace of development.

As noted by Damian Ratka from Defence 24, although the Americans began their development later than the Germans and French with the MGCS program, the American tank is anticipated to be ready by 2030—a full decade earlier than European counterparts. But why embark on developing a new tank?

The traditional tank design—with the crew situated in both the hull and turret—has reached its limits in terms of modernization. Current tank models are significantly heavier than their early production versions. For example, while the Leopard 2A1 weighed 61 tons, the Leopard 2A7 exceeds 73 tons. Similarly, the early M1 version of the Abrams weighed slightly over 61 tons, whereas the M1A2 SEPv3 variant now weighs about 74 tons.

Enhancing tank protection by increasing armor resistance has led to a dead end, as the mass of vehicles rises to problematic levels. This mass increase affects maneuverability through challenging terrains, bridge capacities, strategic transport, and the ability to make prompt repairs or evacuate damaged equipment.

The solution to these issues is the growing global interest in light tanks (or similarly classified vehicles) and future main battle tank designs and prototypes with lower mass than current armored vehicles. The KF51 Panther and AbramsX exemplify this trend.

The M1E3 tank—likely to be renamed M1A3 upon service entry—departs from the current design system. The major innovation compared to the Abrams M1A2 is the integration of an unmanned turret with an autoloader.

This change allows for the entire three-person crew to be located in an armored space within the vehicle's hull. Because this space is smaller than that in traditional tanks, its armored protection can be enhanced while maintaining a lower mass. The crew's likelihood of survival is increased by their being positioned low to the ground, in areas less vulnerable to fire. The tank will also feature a new hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system.

Standard equipment on the vehicle will include a hard-kill self-defense system (ASOP), stealth technology, new sensors, and an AI system to aid crew situational awareness. It will also be lighter than the Abrams tanks currently in use.

These modifications align partially with the proposals presented over a decade ago by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) based on the Ground X-Vehicle Technology (GXV-T) research program. They advocated for reducing tank mass, decreasing crew size, broader application of stealth solutions, and installing active armor.

Interestingly, Russia attempted a similar revolution with their T-14 Armata tank a decade ago. However, this effort resulted mainly in military parades, propaganda about "the world's best tank," and limited production, ultimately halting unfinished equipment production. Despite a similar development trajectory, the new Russian tank was expected to be heavier than existing models.

The American development effort is noteworthy not only for its breadth but also for its pace. The advancement of the new equipment is well underway, with some components, such as the ACE1500 engine—the most powerful in the new engine family—already developed. This engine, in three standardized variants, is set to power future American military vehicles.

The fast pace is expected to culminate in a fully developed tank by 2030. Comparatively, the French-German future tank program, initiated earlier, is projected to produce a new tank around 2040 at the earliest.

The urgency of American development is further justified. The introduction of the Abrams tank was part of the so-called "Big Five," a set of five new weapon systems intended to provide a prolonged battlefield advantage for the Americans. These included the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, UH-60 Black Hawk multi-role helicopter, Patriot anti-aircraft system, along with the M1 Abrams tank and the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Currently, the USA is planning a comprehensive modernization effort, often referred to as the "Super Big 5," which includes next-generation equipment developed under the M-SHORAD and IFPC Inc 2 programs (anti-aircraft and missile systems), FLRAA (for a helicopter successor to the Black Hawk), XM1299 ERCA (a now-discontinued future artillery development program), as well as the XM30 (new infantry fighting vehicle) and the M1E3 (new main battle tank).

Adhering to the schedule, the American army will undergo a substantial equipment transformation around the same period as the previous century’s upgrade.