scott@swindle.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey) (03/05/91)
From: scott@swindle.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey) There was a question about why the allies have made so many tank kills without taking any appreciable casualties, but don't remember which one it was ... this is a follow-up ... What I heard on CNN is that two Abrams were "damaged" and two M60's were destroyed. One tanker said the T72's couldn't even see the the allied tanks through all the battlefield dust and haze. However, the Abrams' superior thermal sights enabled them to easily acquire the Iraqis and kill them before they even knew where their enemy was. From the battlefield scenes that were shown, it did seem aweful hazey. In fact, they showed a couple allied tanks only a few hundred yards from the camera which had supposedly just engaged and destroyed several Iraqis.(*) Sure enough, the enemy tanks weren't visible through the haze (assuming the camera shots were pointed in the right direction). [(*) mod.note: That's one heck of a camera ! Must have a 120mm lens... 8-) - Bill ] Would anyone mind describing the myriad of sensors that an Abrams is equipped with? Do they have anything else other than IR and IR/Thermal imaging equipment? Also, I have heard that the Abrams firing computer takes into account the wind speed when computing firing solutions ... how does it measure the wind? Sigh ... and one more question ... I have also heard that the Abrams only carries tank-killing rounds for it's main gun (AP and HEAT type rounds). The document I read (don't remember what it was) said that they don't carry anti-personnel ammo like HE or flechette/cannister ... is this true? Thanks. | Scott Silvey | Message actually given by rn: | | scott@xcf.berkeley.edu | | | | " ****** 33993 unread articles in comp.windows.x, | | Flames to /dev/null | read now? [ynq] " |
fred@smoke.brl.mil (Fred Bunn) (03/06/91)
From: Fred Bunn <fred@smoke.brl.mil> Someone asked about the crosswind input to the Abrams computer? The M1A1 Abrams has: - A wind sensor at the rear of the turret - A muzzle reference sensor - Commander's weapon sight - Commander's Extension to the GPS - Gunner's primary sight (GPS) - Gunner's auxiliary sight - Laser range finder - Cant sensor Manual inputs are: zeroing, boresight, MRS, air temperature, ammo temperature, gun tube wear and barometric pressure. Ref: Abrams Characteristics and Description Book Improved M1E1 Tank, General Dynamics, Nov 83.
elliot@lightning.Berkeley.EDU (Elliot Wilen) (03/14/91)
From: elliot@lightning.Berkeley.EDU (Elliot Wilen) In article <1991Mar4.213130.10143@cbnews.att.com> scott@swindle.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey) writes: >... and one more question ... I have also heard that the Abrams only > carries tank-killing rounds for it's main gun (AP and HEAT type rounds). > The document I read (don't remember what it was) said that they don't carry > anti-personnel ammo like HE or flechette/cannister ... is this true? My impression is that HEAT rounds have enough of an explosive effect that they can be used as a reasonable substitute for HE. In addition, the HEAT rounds for the M1A1's 120mm gun are designed to be multi-purpose. --Elliot Wilen elliot@ocf.berkeley.edu !ucbvax!ocf!elliot