Inguqulo yakamuva ilula kunezimbangi zayo
I-US Army yasebenzisa isizukulwane sayo esilandelayo i-Abrams tank - eyaziwa ngokuthi i-M1A3 - empini ngo-2017. Izikhulu zezempi zithi zihlela ukugcina i-tank ekhonza isikhathi eside enkonzweni kuze kube ngu-2050.
Izici ezintsha zeTank Abrams
I-Abrams ye-M1A3 ifakwe izinombolo ezithuthukisiwe ngaphezu kwezihumusho zangaphambilini. Ukwenza kube lula futhi kube neselula, i-Army yashintsha isibhamu se-M256 smoothbore nge-light-millimeter i-cannon elula; wanezela amasondo omgwaqo kanye nesistimu yokumisa ngcono; ifakwe ithrekhi ehlala njalo; sebenzisa izikhali zokukhanya; futhi ufake izikhali ezicacile ezikwazi ukushaya amathekithi kusuka amakhilomitha angu-12.
Amapulani aphinde abize ukwengeza kwekhamera ye-infrared kanye ne-laser detector.
Lezi zithuthukisi zithuthukise izici ze-Abrams futhi zenza ithangi liphumelele kakhulu empini yezikhali zempi kanye nasezindaweni zasemadolobheni. I-Army yayimemezele izinhlelo zokuthatha umhlalaphansi ethandeni lika-Abrams bese iyifaka esikhundleni se-XM1202 i-Mounted Combat System, ithikithi elincanyana nelincane. Kodwa uMnyango Wezokuvikela ukhansele lolu hlelo ngo-Ephreli 2009 ngesikhathi sokunciphisa kwesabelomali.
Ukuziphendukela kwemvelo kwe-Abrams Eminyakeni Engaphezu Kwengu-30
I-Abrams yokuqala ye-Abrams - okuthiwa yi-M1 - yangenela inkonzo ngo-1980. Ibizwa ngeGeneral Creighton Abrams, owayekhonza njenge-Commander we-US e-Vietnam kusukela ngo-1968 kuya ku-1972. Ezinye izizukulwane ezimbili ze-tank Abrams ziye zalethwa empini eminyakeni engamashumi amathathu edlule - i-M1A1 ne-M1A2.
I-tank yase-Abrams yayisetshenziswa yi-US Army eYurophu ngasekupheleni kwawo-1980. I-tank yaqala ukulwa empini phakathi neMpi Ye-Gulf ka-1991.
Izinguqulo ze-M1A1 ezingaba ngu-2 000 zithunyelwe eSaudi Arabia njengengxenye ye-Operation Desert Storm. I-Abrams yabonisa ukuthi iphakeme kakhulu empini emaqenjini akhiwa amaSoviet asetshenziswa yibutho lempi lase-Iraq kule mpi.
Ngemuva kweMpi Ye-Gulf ka-1991, iTanki le-Abrams lathuthukiswa emodeli ye-M1A2 futhi yathunyelwa eBosnia nakulo lonke elaseMpumalanga Ephakathi.
Ithigi liye laphumelela ngenxa yokuchithwa kwalo kokudubula, igobolondo eliqinile lokuzivikela, nokuqina ezindaweni ezibucayi ezigwadule. Kodwa kwakusengathi ithangi elinzima elalingelula ukuhlanganisa ngokushesha.
Inguqulo yangaphambilini yangaphambilini ye-tank yayinezikhali ezifaka isibhamu se-M256 smoothbore, isibhamu semishini engu-50 se-M2HB; 7.62-millimeter isibhamu seM240; nokubhema iziqhamu ze-grenade. I-tank iphinde isebenzise izinjini ze-gas turbine.
Ukuthuthukiswa kweTank Abank
Naphezu kwezimpumelelo zayo, i-Abrams yagxeka ngobukhulu bayo nesisindo sayo. Emathani angaba ngu-70, itangi labonakala likhuni ukuthutha emoyeni ezindaweni ezilwa namazwe angaphandle. Kwakungenakukwazi ukuwela amabhuloho amaningi. I-Army ifuna ukulungisa lezi zinkinga ngenguqulo entsha ye-M1A3 ye-Abrams, elula futhi engakwazi ukuguqulwa kunezizukulwane ezidlule.
I-Congress yanikezela ngemali yokuthuthukiswa okuqhubekayo e-Abrams tank ngo-2014, eqondisa cishe amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-120 ukuze kuthuthukiswe amandla okwenza uphethiloli uphumelele, futhi kusebenze amandla asebenzayo anganciphisa isikhathi esiningi injini ye-tank ehlala kuyo.