The M1 Abrams is the American third-generation main battle tank.
It is designed by General Dynamics Land System.
Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2.
These are in service with the USA Army since1980.
The T-14 Armata is new Russian main battle tank based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform.
The Russian Company Uralvagonzavod is responsible for the design and development.
The Russian Army plans to acquire 2,300 T-14s in the period 2015–2020.
In this video, Defense Updates compare these two deadly tanks based on 5 most critical
aspects, and provides an unbiased conclusion.
So, lets get started.
In any ground combat mobility of tanks is very important parameter.
The ability of a tank to move rapidly across different terrains determines its effectiveness.
The M1A2 is powered by Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engine.
Engine output peaks at 1,500 hp.
The engine can use a variety of fuels, including jet fuel, gasoline, diesel and Marine Diesel.
M1A2 weight around 72 tons, giving it a Power/Weight of
20.8 hp/tons.
The top speed of M1A2 is 66 Kmph and its operational range is 426 km.
The T-14 is powered by a ChTZ 12Н360 diesel engine delivering up to 1,500 hp.
The engine has theoretical maximum power of 2,000 hp, but that is not normally used, as
it will adversely affect its service life.
T-14 weights around 50 tons giving it a Power/Weight of 30 hp/tons
The top speed is 90 Kmph.
Operational range of T-14 is 500 km.
Keeping all the above aspect in view, T 14 is seen to have a distinct advantage over
M1A2 in this category.
Armor determines the survivability of the tank and crew in a battle.
The Abrams is protected by composite armor.
Protection of the M1A2 was improved by using depleted uranium mesh at the front of the
hull and turret.
The armor offers significant protection against all known anti-tank weapons.
The armor is estimated to have a protection level of 590 mm vs APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot), and 1,050 mm vs
HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) rounds.
T 14 chassis and the turret are equipped with the Malachit dual-Explosive reactive armor
(ERA) system on the front, sides and the top.
The armor is estimated to have a protection level of 900 mm vs APFSDS, and 1400 mm vs
HEAT rounds.
So as a whole, the T 14 has about 30 to 40 % better armor capability compared to the
Protection systems work in conjunction with the armor to enable better defense against
different threats.
Abrams tanks are equipped with a Softkill Active Protection System, the AN/VLQ-6 Missile
Countermeasure Device (MCD) that can impede the function of guidance systems of some semi-active
control line-of-sight (SACLOS) wire- and radio guided anti-tank missiles and infrared homing
missiles.
The MCD works by emitting a massive, condensed infrared signal to confuse the infrared homing
seeker of an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM).
This only works against certain kinds of ammunition.
T 14 Armata tank features the Afghanit Active Protection System, which includes millimeter-wavelength
radar to detect, track, and intercept incoming anti-tank munitions like kinetic energy penetrators
and tandem-charges.
Currently, the maximum speed of the intercept able target is 1,700 m/s (Mach 5.0), with
projected future increases of up to 3,000 m/s (Mach 8.8).
This system puts the Armata a generation ahead in terms of defensive technology.
The main gun of a tank determines its offensive power.
The M1A1 and M1A2 have M256A1, 120 mm smoothbore gun, designed by Rheinmetall AG of Germany,
manufactured under license in the U.S. by Watervliet Arsenal, New York.
The M256A1 is a variant of the Rheinmetall 120 mm gun carried on the German Leopard 2.
Rate of fire of the gun is 10 rounds/mins
The main gun of the T-14 is the 2A82-1M 125 mm (4.92 in) smoothbore cannon, a replacement
for the 2A46 of previous Russian and Soviet tanks.
Its muzzle energy is greater than the Rheinmetall 120 mm gun, previously considered the best cannon.
Rate of fire the gun is 12 rounds/mins.
Also, T 14 is designed to mount a bigger gun, and a 152 mm gun is under development.
When the Armata tank gets the 152mm gun, it will be the most powerful cannon to be mounted
on a main battle tank of any country and will have the ability to penetrate 1 meter of armor.
Noting all the above aspects, T 14 Armata has an advantage in this category.
Crew number and unit cost, together determines the overall operational cost of a tank.
M1A2 has a crew of 4 people and costs around US$ 9 million per unit.
T 14 Armata features a revolutionary fully automated and unmanned turret.
Hence it has a crew of only 3 people.
It costs around US$ $3.7 million per unit.
Observing these aspects, T 14 has a distinct advantage in this category.
As is evident from the final score, the T 14 Armata has comprehensively beaten the M1A2.
In a one to one basis, the T 14 is a better tank, and is expected to win against M1A2.
The initial design of M1A2 is decades old, but it is still relevant due to intermediate upgrades.
M1A2 Abrams is a respected tank and can beat most of the modern tanks.
It must be noted that, US has build about 10,000 of these and in any future battle more
than one M1A2 will take on a single T 14 Armata.