Experts from the US Army Science Council proposed a new tank concept based on the M1 Abrams series, capable of taking a 130-millimeter gun. The Drive writes that the requirements for the new tank were described in the advisory body’s report.

The document states that modern modifications of Abrams weigh more than 70 tons “They are not tactically, operationally or strategically mobile.”. The authors of the report emphasized that the possibilities of reducing the weight of the new generation tank without compromising its features should be investigated. The least risky option, according to experts, will be the development of a lighter machine based on Abrams. A tank weighing 55-60 tons with a reduced crew can receive a hybrid power plant, new weapons and active protection systems.

The report included an image showing the possible appearance of the car. The tank in the picture is distinguished by a low-profile turret and a remotely controlled combat module with a machine gun and anti-tank missile system.

“It’s interesting that the Army has already announced its intention to do more or less exactly that. In September, the service announced that it would abandon plans to upgrade the Abrams to the M1A2 SEP v4 level and switch to a next-generation tank that is expected to have many of the features described in the Army Science Board report.”– writes the publication.

The publication emphasized that most of the features described in the report are used in the AbramsX technology demonstrator presented in 2022. However, analysts concluded that such a concept would not provide the possibility of operational deployment within the framework of a major conflict. The authors of the study also suggested considering the possibility of creating a light tank weighing up to 40 tons and a robotic platform weighing 20-30 tons. Source