Transcript Slide 1
Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy, AO
Chief of Army
Future land operations will occur in complex
terrain against a pervasive threat from a range
of highly lethal hand-held weapons at short
engagement ranges.
Australian tanks must be able to survive
multiple anti-armour hits while manoeuvring in
close contact and remaining in the fight to
support the combined arms team (infantry).
Tanks save lives (DSTO historical and
operational analysis):
increases the chance of mission success from 65%
to 95%
reduces the chance of Australian casualties by a
factor of 6
other armoured vehicles cannot compensate for the
lack of a viable tank
lack of a viable tank undermines the combined arms
team (tailored force packages comprising a balance
of combat elements that cover each other’s
vulnerability's)
‘This project will replace the ADF Main
Battle Tank fleet with a more modern
tank capability that will be supportable
until at least 2020’DCP 2004-14, p.142
Brigadier Michael Clifford, AM, CSC
Director General Preparedness &
Plans, Army HQ
Capable and credible element of the
ADF
Provides a suitable level of protection
for deployed personnel
Provides improved fire control and
sensor suites (also enhancing
protection levels)
Vehicle-specific
Survivability
Through-life sustainability
Network-centric warfare (NCW)
Also important
Project schedule
Regional mobility
Ancillary systems
Innovative - Army HQ, DMO and
Capability Systems
Compressed time frame - “aggressive”
High profile - minimal risk
(Military Off the Shelf)
Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
Army long term strategy
Access to US technologies
59 M1A1 AIM tanks (rebuilt)
7 M88A2 HERCULES ARV (new)
6 Advanced Gunnery Trainer Simulators
1 Tank Driver Trainer
up to 14 Tank transporters and trailers
up to 8 Refuelers
AS $530 M
Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Hayward
Armoured Fighting Vehicle Capability
Implementation Team
Weight: 62,000 kgs
Height: 2.88 m
Length (Hull): 7.92 m
Width: 3.66 m
Ground Clearance: 0.48 m
Ground Pressure: 0.97 kg/cm2
Armament
120 mm Rheinmetall smoothbore
Main Armament
Coax M240 7.62 mm MG
Flex M2HB .50 in cal MG for
commander
Flex M240 7.62 mm MG for loader
Ammunition load
40 x 120 mm rounds
(APFSDS and MPAT)
1000 x .50 in cal rounds
12,400 x 7.62 mm rounds
24 x smoke grenades
C2
VIC (3) inter-communication system
Advanced SINCGARS radios
Armour
Advanced non-DU armour
DSTO scientist given special access
to US armour technology program
Production ceased
Backbone of current fleet
4550 built from 1985 to 1993
Upgrades include:
120mm main armament
NBC systems
Improved armour
US production ceased
627 built from 1992 to 1999
Rebuilt M1 tanks
Going out of US service
Production ongoing
12% of fleet by 2010
Source vehicle is M1 or M1A2 which is upgraded
System Enhancement Program (SEP):
CITV, embedded digitisation, 2nd Gen FLIR.
Production ongoing
M1A1 and M1A1 AIM will comprise 88%
of US fleet by 2010
Complete overhaul of M1A1 to like-new, zero miles
Embedded diagnostics and digitisation:
includes armour, firepower, automotive, and engine
improvements
COMMANDER’S HATCH
SUSPENSION COMPONENTS
n Restore Components
Depot
GUN MOUNT
n Demate & Disassemble
ENGINE
(Integrated Industry Team)
n Clean, Inspect, Evaluate
Depot
TRANSMISSION
PISTON
n Receive Vehicle
n Integrated Induction Team Inspection
n Safety/Environmental Protection
Anniston
GUNNER'S PRIMARY SIGHT
Step 3
Industry
Step 2
n Paint, Prep & Ship
Industry
START
Step 1
n Vehicle & Systems Testing
Step 7
Industry
n Assemble Chassis, Turret,
Vehicle
Step 6
Lima
Step 5
Step 4
6256 components
5368 new
888 checked to original spec
or replaced
M1A1 AIM upgrades
and enhancements
plus:
Mounts to fit the Steyr Rifle
Elements of Leopard Crew Climate Control System
Chilled drinking water
Camouflage system
Infantry/Tank Telephone
Integration of Infantry Personal Role Radio
Red Kangaroo
Weight: 63,500 kg
Height: 3.22 m
Length (Hull): 8.58 m
Width: 3.66 m
Ground Clearance: 0.40 m
Ground Pressure: 0.963
kg/cm2
Armament: M2 0.50 cal MG
New build by United Defence LP
Based on M60 MBT
Specifically built to recover M1
70,000kg pull main winch
Powerpack change < 60 mins
Up to 8 Mack Fuel Tankers
Up to 14 Heavy Tank Transporters
Planned to be delivered concurrently
with tank
Permanent Platoon AGTS
Relocatable AGTS
AGTS develops and sustains
individual, crew, and platoon
precision gunnery skills to a
level of proficiency which
permits transition to live fire
training or combat gunnery.
High Fidelity Crew Station
Provides initial and transition driver training
for M1A1 Abrams armour crewmen.
Consists of a driver training station,
instructor station, and a fully integrated
motion simulator.
In June the Governments of Australia and
the United States signed the prime
equipment case for:
59 M1A1 tanks
59 Abrams Integrated Management (AIM)
rebuilds
7 new Armoured Recovery Vehicles
6 Armoured Gunnery Training Systems
1 Tank Driver Trainer
Engineering and program management.
The Abrams tank capability will be
introduced into service in 2007.