M1; M-1A1
The main U.S. battle tank, the M1 was delivered to the U.S. Army in February 1980 and named for the late Gen. Creighton Abrams. Its succesor, the M-1A1, first delivered in August 1985, is considered to be the world's best battle tank, in part because of its improved armor—similar to the ceramic-and-steel Chobham armor developed in the United Kingdom—but also because of its M256 smooth-bore Rheinmetall main gun produced and developed in West Germany. Although it weighs 63 tons, the M-1A1 can travel at a speed of 45 mph, but its turbine engine consumes a lot of gas and its electronic system is delicate. Nevertheless, it was the most important U.S. tank used in the Persian Gulf War (1991). In March 1988, the development of a new armor plate made of depleted uranium (a nonradioactive substance) began. Also called
See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
