M1A2 SEP V2. (Photo : US Army)
The U.S. Army doesn't seem interested in developing a new tank in the short-term to counter Russia's T-14 Armata Main Battle Tank (MBT), but is instead focusing on upgrading the latest models of its M1 Abrams MBT to destroy this Russian beast.
It's banking on two System Enhanced Packages (SEPs) to upgrade the M1 to defeat the T-14, which is expected to enter service with the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation after 2025. In the meantime, the M1A2 SEP V3 and M1A2 SEP V4 will only have to contend with the inferior T-72B3, the latest version of the 40 year-old T-72, and the T-90, a tank Russia has stopped producing.
It was only in September 2015, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation signed an order for a pilot batch of more than 100 Armatas to be used in field trials. The program to supply the Russian Ground Forces with T-14s was initially planned to begin by 2020, but has been extended to 2025 due to logistics and technical problems and funding shortfalls.
The M1A2 SEP V3 was revealed in October 2015. It's expected enter in service with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps this year. General Dynamics Land Systems will start to deliver the first production M1A2 SEP V3 Abrams to the army this year.
The Army plans to remanufacture its entire M1A2 SEP fleet to the new M1A2 SEP V3 configuration.
There are confirmed reports the army is developing the next M1 iteration, M1A2 SEP V4, designed specifically to defeat the T-14 Armata. M1A2 SEP V4 is designed to be more lethal; faster; better protected; equipped with new sensors and armed with upgraded, more effective weapons than older iterations.
The U.S. Army is advancing M1A2 SEP V4 to counter the T-14 Armata, among whose features is an active protection system (APS) said to be effective against high-velocity anti-tank rounds and anti-tank guided missiles.
M1A2 SEP V4 will feature advanced networking technology with next-generation sights, sensors, targeting systems and digital networking technology.
Slated to being testing in 2021 or four years before Armata enters Russian service, M1A2 SEP V4 will include new laser rangefinder technology; color cameras; integrated on-board networks; ammunition data links and laser warning receivers.
More important, this M1 Abrams variant will be armed with a far more lethal Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) 120 mm tank round. This round combines a variety of different rounds into a single tank round and will replace four rounds now in use.
High-level sources in the U.S. defense industry declined to confirm if the army needs a new tank to defeat the T-14 Armata, however.
On the other hand, the Bundeswehr (the Federal German Army) will develop a new panzer to counter the Armata.
