The Abrams tank of the latest version M1A2 SEPv3 (otherwise – M1A2C) turned out to be heavier than the previous ones. The problems of the tank, which in February 2019 the American magazine The National Interest called possibly the best in the world, were revealed by Defense News at the Pentagon.
The military department told the publication that the mass of the tank limits its ability to transport the available means, in particular by evacuation vehicles, prefabricated bridges and tractors. “Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 updates raise concerns about its suitability,” the Pentagon said.
Defense News notes that if necessary, the M1A2 SEPv3 should be deployed “in the European theater of operations.” “In the event of a crisis, tank brigades will probably have to quickly cover a large area in order to effectively respond against an adversary like Russia,” the newspaper writes.
In February 2019, the Defense Blog reported that the US Ground Forces showed the first detailed images of the M1 Abrams tank, the latest version of which (M1A2 SEPv3) received the Trophy HV (Heavy Vehicle) active protection systems of the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. At the same time, The Drive noted that the M1A2 SEPv3 remains vulnerable to armor-piercing feathered subcaliber projectiles that can be used by the Russian T-90MS and T-14 Armata tanks.
