The tank received the name Abrams in honor of the general who fought in Vietnam. He is the main combat vehicle of the United States. Abrams is equipped with a complex system of protection against various types of weapons of mass destruction. If necessary, the air entering the tank is cleaned of harmful substances by the filtration unit and fed to the crew masks. Another means of protection is the creation of excessive internal pressure in the machine to prevent the ingress of radioactive dust particles and toxic substances into it. The Abrams tank is equipped with chemical and radiation reconnaissance equipment. In the event of a drop in temperature, the crew can use heaters.
The machine is equipped with radio stations for external and internal communication. For a good overview of the perimeter of the commander’s turret, 6 periscopes were installed. The digital ballistic computer calculates angular corrections very accurately. He receives all the necessary parameters from the laser rangefinder in automatic mode. Data on the type of ammunition, charge temperature, barrel wear, pressure, as well as various corrections for coordination are entered manually. The Abrams tank is distinguished by the presence of a large number of electronics and a high level of computerization. The combat vehicle is equipped with laser radiation warning equipment.
After the target is detected and recognized, the gunner sends a laser rangefinder at it , the value of which is also displayed in the sight of the machine commander. Then he selects the type of ammunition, and the loader prepares the gun for the shot. All other data is entered by a ballistic computer. After that, the Abrams tank can open fire.
The engine and transmission compartment is located in the aft compartment of the combat vehicle. Gas turbine engine. This allows you to win in volume and mass, as well as increase the life of the motor. However, there are such disadvantages as the difficulty of air purification and high fuel consumption. The Abrams tank can accelerate to a speed of 30 km \ h in just a few seconds.
The combat vehicle is equipped with a 120-mm smooth-bore powerful gun. Ammunition - 34 shells. Due to the fact that the gun has a high rate of fire and accuracy, the firepower of the tank is very high. "Abrams" was created not as a means of breakthrough, but as an anti-tank machine, which was supposed to stop or delay the tank troops of the USSR in Europe. The design of the tank at first was developed in conjunction with Germany. The first modifications of the combat vehicle had multilayer armor made of composite materials of British design. Later versions of the tank are “dressed” in armor created using such material as uranoceramics.
The tower of the combat vehicle has internal and external armor plates, which are interconnected by stiffeners. Between them special booking packages are laid, which consist of metal and other components. With a relatively small thickness, these plates are capable of effectively destroying jets of cumulative ammunition. They also include uranium.