The annual Detroit Auto Show remains the first major automotive industry trade event in the country, and it is typically where some of the most advanced concept cars are revealed to the public. In addition, the latest in automotive technology is also often on display.
It was in the Motor City where Chrysler debuted the minivan concept in the 1980s, where the Dodge Viper was introduced, and where, in 2008, 120 longhorn cattle were driven by cowboys with the aid of a Dodge Ram truck.
This week, there weren’t any cattle, but something almost as memorable was unveiled, and it could have as lasting an impact as the minivan.
General Dynamic Land Systems (GDLS) officially introduced its M1E3 Abrams main battle tank (MBT) during the media day on Wednesday. It offered the public the first look at the next generation of the United States military’s venerable Abrams.
The tank on display is one of four prototypes being built by Roush Defense in Warren, MI. GDLS is expected to produce the tanks at its Lima, OH, facility, where the M1 Abrams was built.
“The M1E3 early prototype,” Col. Ryan Nicol, an engineer with the U.S. Army, told Fox 2 News. “It’s the next evolution of the Abrams tank built to modernize for the future battlefield.”
U.S. Army Shifted Gears
The U.S. Army has been relatively tight-lipped about the specifications of the M1E3, which only emerged after the service abruptly cancelled the M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 4 (SEPv4) in September 2023 and immediately shifted focus to this new MBT.
The issue was that, since its introduction in the early 1980s, the M1 Abrams has been steadily enhanced to keep up with modern battlefield challenges, but in the process, it has added weight. The original version of Abrams weighed in at a relatively lean 67.6 tons, whereas the latest models in service exceed 73 tons.
As previously reported, the decision to scrap the SEPv4 came from lessons learned in Ukraine, including how any further upgrades would add significant weight, which has already been a serious problem for the tank. Instead, the efforts had focused on providing better protection for the crew from within the vehicle instead of just adding more to it.
The Next Generation Abrams
The new version has not only been slimmed down but also features a modified/redesigned turret while retaining the powerful M256 120mm main gun. The sleeker turret incorporates an autoloader, the first in a U.S.-made MBT. It reduces the crew size from four to three by eliminating the need for a dedicated loader. That could further increase load time and enable the tank to fire more rapidly at adversaries. Still, the technology is far from perfect: a jam can’t be easily cleared, rendering the tank combat ineffective.
Likewise, Soviet/Russian-designed MBTs have seen problems with autoloaders, notably when a direct hit at the turret by an anti-tank projectile or shape-charge blast hits penetrates the armor and sets off the ordnance.
Beyond the turret redesign, the M1E3 is equipped with a range of 21st-century technologies, some of which were barely conceived when the M1 was developed in the days of disco balls and bell-bottom jeans. That includes external sensor housings that could provide driver-assistance, autonomous navigation, or even improved situational awareness. LED lights are also positioned on the chassis.
The M1E3 could also be the first tank in U.S. service to feature a hybrid diesel powertrain, providing greater fuel efficiency than the original fuel-guzzling M1 Abrams.
The crew will be housed in the chassis, with enhanced workstations that are built around a fully digital, open architecture. The M1E3 could be operated by a single soldier if necessary, although doctrine will likely continue to employ a commander, gunner, and driver.
Speaking of the driver, the steering wheel is reportedly being developed by Fanatec, which produces dedicated simulation racing controllers for video games. The Army has suggested that the commercially available gaming device could reduce training time.
The M1E3 will be on display at the Detroit Auto Show in Hall E until it wraps up on January 25.
