Summary and Key Points: The M1 Abrams has been the U.S. Army's main battle tank since 1980, introducing advanced technologies like Chobham armor and a multi-fuel turbine engine.

-Now, General Dynamics is proposing the AbramsX, a next-generation tank featuring a hybrid electric diesel engine, artificial intelligence, and a smaller crew.

-While the AbramsX promises improvements in fuel efficiency and weight, the Department of Defense remains cautious about investing in the new platform, especially given concerns about the role of tanks in modern warfare and the integration of AI into military systems.

-The tank most commonly associated with the modern U.S. Army is the M1 Abrams. This third-generation battle tank has served as the U.S. cavalry’s backbone since 1980. 

AbramsX: The Future of U.S. Tanks or a Costly Gamble?

The Abrams was at the forefront of several new technologies, introducing Chobham composite armor, a computer fire control system, a multi-fuel turbine engine, Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) protection, and separate ammunition storage to the U.S. Army. Indeed, the Abrams has served admirably for over 40 years. 

Now, a new model designated the AbramsX is likely to introduce the next round of novel technologies. It will keep the Abrams relevant for the foreseeable future – assuming the project can secure funding from the Department of Defense.

What We Know So Far on AbramsX

Last year, General Dynamics offered a short YouTube clip advertising the AbramsX. The video made a splash. “It’s the biggest upgrade of America’s military tank technology since early in the Cold War, The Washington Post wrote. 

Naturally, the AbramsX will feature updated technology relative to existing Abrams variants. The biggest upgrade is the inclusion of a hybrid electric diesel engine, which is expected to make the AbramsX lighter and improve its fuel economy. 

In keeping with the economic theme, the AbramsX will operate with a smaller crew than its predecessors. And like most weapons systems being developed these days, the tank will also incorporate artificial intelligence systems.

Is the AbramsX a Worthy Investment?

The Defense Department has expressed reservations over investing in the AbramsX program. 

The new tank “faces an uphill climb in the halls of the Pentagon,” according to The Washington Post. “Russia’s war in Ukraine has shown the promise and peril of tank technology in a modern battlefield,” while “military strategists worry how useful tanks might be in a potential war against China.”

Further contributing to the reservations is the inclusion of artificial intelligence. Thankfully, not everyone is willing to sign off on the use of AI in a next-era battle tank. James Cameron’s treatment of the risks associated with artificial intelligence, the Terminator series, may have a hyperbolic tinge, but it speaks to plausible concerns associated with the embedment of artificial intelligence within military technology.

All In all, “it’s going to be hard for the tank community to get resources to do a major upgrade,” Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said to The Washington Post. 

Mixed reviews for AbramsX Tank

While the Abrams has served as the Army’s primary battle tank for over forty years, the model is not beyond criticism. Designed to rival the Soviet Union’s impressive tank fleet and drive across the sweeping plains of Eastern Europe, the M1 Abrams is very much a product of the Cold War. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, when the Soviet Union still existed, investing in a new tank made more sense.

But times have changed. And while the Abrams has performed sufficiently well to stay in service, the model has not been perfect. The tank is expensive, gas-guzzling, and clumsy in battle. The AbramsX is General Dynamics’ attempt to solve these problems. 

Some of the results seem encouraging. For example, the AbramsX is ten tons lighter than current models. The hybrid electric diesel engine will be 50% more fuel-efficient than the current engine, which is rated for just one mile per gallon.

Will the DoD get on board, and fund the AbramsX as the Army’s tank of the future? We’ll see.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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