United Defense Thunderbolt 120mm light tank technology demonstrator shown at AUSA 2003. Thunderbolt is a 120mm smoothbore-armed derivative of canceled M8 Armored Gun System. Initially, UDLP sees Thunderbolt as a cheaper alternative to the Mounted Combat System of the FCS program.
In August 2003, prior to mating with its intended hull, the Thunderbolt turret incorporating the XM291 gun and modified AGS autoloader was mounted on a old diesel-driven M8 hull and test fired at Camp Roberts, CA.
Thunderbolt's XM291 main gun is backed by an autoloader that handles standard 120mm tank rounds including HEAT and APFSDS. The autoloader handles 120mm rounds with combustible casings and rounds of varying weight distributions, and it can eject stubcases.
The autoloader is evolved from M8 AGS. The Thunderbolt autoloader magazine accommodates 15 ready rounds, but in later optimized version form UDLP increases the number to 18, and a firing rate of 10-12 rds/min to be sustained.
The Thunderbolt fire control system incorporates a Raytheon HIRE-II 2nd generation thermal imager (as also used aboard four modified version of M8 AGS for the Fort Knox Platform Performance Demonstration during late 1999 to early 2000).
The brand new designed Thunderbolt hull integrates a Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) that provides improved performance and fuel economy. The propulsion system utilizes generator, inverter and traction motor components that have performed well in testing on UDLP's TTD demonstrator.
The old steel tracks has been supplanted by a Soucy band rubber tracks. The advantages of band track include improved ride quality, longer life, and reduced noise and thermal signatures.
The Thunderbolt HED system involved two traction motors in the front of the hull, a John Deere 300hp turbocharged intercooled diesel engine in the left sponson and a 24 batteries based energy storage system in the right sponson.
The difference in engine power is made up when maximum power is required by drawing on the energy stored in a pack of 24 lead-acid 6TMF batteries. Thunderbolt's HED gives it an estimated 965km range on 757 liters of fuel, and a 6km silent running range (batteries only).
The revised propulsion arrangement also frees up space in the original engine compartment, which in the demonstrator has been converted to allow the vehicle to carry four dismounting troops or additional fuel and ammunition.
The baseline weight is put at approx 40,000 lb (18.7t), and approx 20t with Level 2 ballistic composite armor, which provides the turret with 30mm protection over its frontal arc and 14.5mm AP all round. Higher Level 3 protection is available depending on the battlefield threats.
In 2004, United Defense working with US Army ARDEC to test the Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) technology on the Thunderbolt platform.
The gun fired by Thunderbolt was a modified 120mm XM291 gun, which has been provided with an Electro-Thermal Ignition Pulse Power Supply (ETIPPS) for plasma ignition of 120mm rounds. The vehicle was renamed Lightning Bolt after the addition of ETIPPS and other ETC components.
The US Army did not choose the Thunderbolt, but that has not prevented United Defense from seeking foreign buyers for the lightweight armored platform.
In 2004, at the request of the Singaporean defense ministry, United Defense had submitted a proposal for Thunderbolt based on ST Kinetics' Universal Combat Vehicle Platform (UCVP) chassis.
After this, BAE Systems unveiled AGS 120 light tank at Asian Aerospace 2006. AGS 120 is basically a Thunderbolt mounted on a standard M8 hull.
The AGS 120 is an advanced and deployable 120mm auto loading gun on a light tank chassis. It is designed for low velocity air drops from C-130 Hercules aircraft or similar and can be configured in a variety of modular passive armor protection levels.
Unfortunately, no matter it is Thunderbolt or AGS 120, they failed to find potential buyers.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have released a promo video of their M1A1 (Situational Awareness) SA Abrams tank with many close-ups. The following will illustrate the differences in the Ukrainian M1A1 configuration.
From the ‘UKR’ in the turret serial number suffix, we can know that the Ukrainian M1A1 uses a different ‘Ukrainian’ armor package, which is different from the US Army’s Heavy Armor (HA) package.
The Ukrainian version of the M1A1 SA weighs 57.2 metric tons, which is much lighter than the U.S. Army configuration, which reaches 62.2 metric tons (68.6 short tons)
Today, the US Army unveiled the first LRIP batch of M10 Booker Combat Vehicles (BCV) for the first time at the historic naming dedication ceremony for the M10 Booker. It also means that the M10 program is moving into the Production and Deployment (PD) phase now.
The LRIP configuration of the M10 Booker is different from the XM10 prototypes built the year before last, and has been modified in details.
For example, changes to the front box of the turret are visible. (M10 on the left, XM10 on the right)
In the late 1990s, General Dynamics Land Systems came up with an interesting concept named the Abrams Lightweight Variant Tank, which provided an air transportable MBT at significant weight reduction. For simplicity purposes, the concept tank will be referred to below as ALVT.
The primary design goal of ALVT is to reduce the vehicle ship weight to a target of 39 tons (35 tonnes), consistent with the C-17 cargo aircraft lift requirements (two units on a C-17). While at the same time it is desired to maintain the high survivability and lethality.
The Abrams Lightweight Variant Tank weights 51.15 tons (46.4 tonnes) in combat configuration, and 46.24 tons (41.9 tonnes) in curb/dry weight. The vehicle can be further reduced to 39.33 tons (35.6 tonnes) through the modular design and shipped separated systems.
In addition to Cummins Advanced Combat Engine (ACE) used on GD's AbramsX tank, looking back at history, there have been many different dieselization options proposed for the Abrams:
GM/MTU MT883 Ka-500 (manufactured by GM), a 27.36 litre 12 cylinder 1500hp diesel engine, coupled to Allison XT 6775 7-speed automatic transmission, was provided for M1 Block III (M1A1 hull).
Cummins XAV-28 AIPS-D, a 27.56 litre 12 cylinder 1450hp diesel engine, coupled to Allison XT-series seven-speed automatic transmission, was used on M1A1-based Component Advanced Technology Testbed (CATTB).
The @ArmorCollection recently preserve one of twelve prototypes of BAE Systems' Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) vehicle for historic and research purposes. This is a special design and different from the winning GDLS proposal. This thread will introduce it a bit more.
(Thanks Jim Miller, BAE Systems’ vice president of business development, for the great information.)
BAE Systems' Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) formerly known as Expeditionary Light Tank (ELT), is a further derivative of canceled M8 Armored Gun System.
A thread to discuss why the US Army doesn't call MPF a tank
First of all, what is the purpose of Mobile Protected Firepower? The MPF's purpose is to defeat targets that could compromise the effectiveness of the Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
The MPF provides precision, long-range direct fire to support infantry maneuver while retaining freedom of action. The MPF has the range and lethality to reduce bunkers and hardened sites, allowing infantry freedom of maneuver.