Analysis of the vulnerability of the M1A1 / A2 tank during use in Iraq in 2003
The second Iraqi war revealed the weak points of the American M1A1 Abrams tanks and finally dispelled the myth of its invulnerability, which had been carefully implanted over the past decade.
The frontal armor of the Abrams turret and hull still provide good protection against anti-tank weapons used by the Iraqi army. However, the side and aft projections remain vulnerable even to grenade launchers developed in the 60s of the last century.
There were also recorded cases of the destruction of tanks by fire from the stern side of both 25-mm cannons of "own" BMP "Bradley" and 30-mm cannons of BMP-2. It is no secret that American designers were forced to sacrifice the armor of the sides of the hull, which provides protection against armor-piercing shells of a 30-mm gun only at a course angle of + - 30 degrees, where the side screens with a thickness of 70 mm are installed, without keeping within the allotted weight restrictions. The remaining sections of the side are made of 5 mm mild steel, followed by 30 mm of armor steel of the hull. Such an obstacle is struck by 30 mm cannons BMP-2 cannons from 2000 m (when using armor-piercing sub-caliber shells), when using conventional armor-piercing shells, this distance is slightly lower.
According to foreign experts, rocket-propelled grenades PG-7V n with a probability of 55% hit "Abrams" in the side of the tower and the side of the hull above the rollers. With a probability of 70% - into the roof of the tower.
It also turned out that the "Abrams" in the field "burn" more fuel than they are supposed to by the norm. There were difficulties with the delivery of spare parts for the failed vehicles, as a result of which many damaged tanks could not be repaired and they were dismantled for spare parts to repair their more successful brothers.
According to official sources, based on the actions of the 3rd US Mechanized Division, the following conclusions can be drawn about the vulnerability of the Abrams tank:
-Kornet missiles in Iraq not found
-The top, sides, and rear armor are susceptible to damage.
-Recorded cases where 30 mm armor-piercing shells pierced the tank from the rear.
-Left and right side of side screens, RPG breaks through.
-Cosmetic damage when hit by anti-personnel shots to RPGs.
-No cases of destruction of tanks with anti-tank mines (in contrast to 1991).
-The inflatable panels on the turret worked normally, the recorded cases of hitting the ammunition rack did not lead to the death of the crew.
-The engine has demonstrated low reliability and extremely high fire hazard.
-To completely defeat the tank, 1 thermite grenade (inside), 2 missiles "Mayverik" or a shot of BPS (in the area of ammunition storage) is enough
-To disable the tank, just one RPG shot at the side parts of the hull is enough.
On many destroyed "Abrams", hit by the fire of hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers of the RPG-7 type into the side, the anti-cumulative screens even penetrated the PG-7V grenades (this is one of the oldest types of grenades for the RPG-7), and its cumulative jet was enough to screen to pierce and side armor. There were cases of irrecoverable losses due to ignition of auxiliary power units (APU) and / or ignition of containers with fuel and lubricants, which fell into the engine-transmission compartment and thereby ignited the engine. So one "Abrams" burned down ("due to a secondary effect"), which was fired upon from a 12, 7-mm DShK machine gun. The bullet hit the left rear part of the tower, where the APU is located, pierced the box, disabled the installation, and the burning fuel and oil from it rushed down into the MTO. The power plant caught fire, which completely burned out, the tank cannot be restored. By the way, about the APU of the Abrams tank. Based on the materials of the US Army Armored Directorate (TACOM) and the US Ground Forces Experience Center (CALL), the 3rd Mechanized Division in 21 days of the operation was hit by enemy fire or as a result of friendly fire only 23 M1A1 Abrams tanks and M2 / M3 infantry fighting vehicles Bradley. Fifteen of them (including nine Abrams and six Bradleys) were hit by RPG-7s. One tank of this division, as a result of fire from small arms and, as a result, the uncertain actions of the driver, fell from the bridge into the Tigris River, the crew was killed.
After the official end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the losses of the coalition's armored vehicles not only did not decrease, but on the contrary increased. The main enemy for tanks and infantry fighting vehicles are now anti-tank grenade launchers and land mines, which are installed by Iraqi guerrillas on patrol routes of American troops.
So, for example, on 27.10.2003, 40 km from Baghdad northeast of the city of Ballad, the newest modification of the Abrams M1A2 SEP (System Enhanced Package) tank from the 4th Mechanized Division of the United States was blown up. The tank was blown up by a homemade land mine, which consisted of several artillery shells. As a result of the explosion, the turret of the tank flew off 30 meters.
Also, the fuel tanks of the tank, located in front of the tank on both sides of the driver, did not confirm their reliability; in both recorded cases, hitting them led to the destruction of the tank. In addition to problems resulting from enemy fire, the M1A1 tank also showed low operational reliability and a very high fire hazard.
The presence of a large number of complex and prone to failure systems and subsystems led to the fact that many machines were simply not able to perform the assigned tasks. Such systems, according to American experts, include a fire control system, a radio station and other electronic systems, which must be regularly checked and calibrated after being exposed to vibration and strong shocks during combat.
Firepower
The tank's firepower was more than enough to defeat outdated Soviet and Chinese tanks. BPS M829 penetrated the frontal armor of Iraqi tanks at all ranges of fire.
The cumulative M830A1 was used to fire at bunkers and armored vehicles.
The most effective weapon of the Abrams tank in urban combat was the 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on the turret. Usually, Iraqi resistance groups, disguised, let tanks and infantry fighting vehicles at a distance of less than 100 m, and then opened volley fire from heavy machine guns and RPGs. In such situations, the 12.7 mm (50 caliber) machine gun mounted on the turret was most effective, striking the enemy in any light type of cover. When firing from a 120 mm tank gun, they used mainly HEAT or MPAT shells. After reports were received regarding the effectiveness of the use of machine guns in close combat in urban conditions, a second, and sometimes a third machine gun of 7.62 mm caliber was installed on the towers.
Back in 2003, there was a case of the defeat of “Abrams” by something not entirely clear. Bugry on bigler.ru came to the conclusion that it was a special bullet fired from an anti-tank missile system, possibly uranium and / or active-reactive. Well, and it was necessary to get to the right place …
