The AbramsX Question: Will the Army Build This, or Has Drones Already Made It Obsolete?
Key Points and Summary
-The new AbramsX is the U.S. Army’s answer to the evolving battlefield, designed as a bridge to the next generation of armored warfare.
-Responding to vulnerabilities exposed by drones and anti-tank missiles in Ukraine, the AbramsX is a lighter, faster, and more survivable platform.
-Key innovations include a fuel-efficient hybrid engine for “silent watch” capability, an unmanned turret with an autoloader, and an Active Protection System.
-Most revolutionary is its ability to act as a “drone mothership,” controlling its own unmanned systems to scout ahead and defend itself, aiming to restore the tank’s role as the spearhead of an assault.
AbramsX: A Mystery Tank
The US Army needs a new main battle tank. It has relied on the M1 Abrams tank for 44 years. The Abrams has been the undisputed King of the Battlefield through two wars in tank country.
The Abrams had much better range, effectiveness, and superior thermal imaging systems that allowed US crews to engage and destroy Iraqi T-72 Russian-built tanks at ranges before the Iraqis could even see the Abrams tanks. The Soviet-built tanks were simply outclassed.
The current M1A2SEPv3, in production until 2027, includes several upgrades such as improved lethality, survivability, reliability, and fuel efficiency. However, each upgrade increases weight, and the vehicle is now nearing 80 tons. As such, the time may be approaching for a replacement for this iconic platform.
AbramsX. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The AbramsX is a technology demonstrator and prototype tank developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), representing a significant step toward the US Army’s M1E3 Abrams, the future main battle tank, which is slated for initial operational capability in the early 2030s.
The AbramsX features key innovations like a lighter, hybrid-electric drivetrain, an unmanned turret, advanced AI-driven systems for target acquisition and command and control, a new 120mm gun with a composite barrel, and electrothermal chemical ignition for higher velocities and accuracy.
It can also fire advanced programmable detonation and course-correcting ammunition, as well as operate a suite of unmanned systems, including drone launchers. The goal is to create a more survivable, fuel-efficient, and adaptable tank for future combat environments.
Meet The Abrams X
The Abrams X, a next-generation main battle tank (MBT) developed by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), represents a significant advancement in American armored warfare technology. Rather than being just a new tank, the AbramsX serves as a platform for integrating advancedtechnologies into armored warfare. This model is lighter, weighing59 tons, and has less armor.
It features advanced capabilities, including a hybrid electric diesel engine, artificial intelligence-driven targeting, and enhanced protection systems. General Dynamics has made several changes to the Abrams, including reducing the crew to three people seated shoulder to shoulder in the front of the tank. The turret is unmanned, and an autoloader loads the main gun.
An M1 Abrams main battle tank provides security during the Combined Arms Company field exercise at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, Sept. 16, 2015. The CAC is a newly formed armor element supporting the Black Sea Rotational Force, which reassures our NATO allies and partners of our commitments and will enhance training exercises and operations with partners in the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin T. Updegraff/Released)
A U.S. Army M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division fires at a target before quickly disengaging into a defilade to load a new round at McGregor Range, New Mexico, Sept. 29, 2023. Alpha Co. executed Gunnery Table VI, which evaluates crews on engaging stationary and moving targets while utilizing all weapons systems in offensive and defensive positions, ensuring our crews are trained and ready for any mission. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Poleski)
With the three-person crew in the hull, the turret features a 120mm main gun and a 30mm gun, replacing the .50 caliber machine gun. But it should still incorporate a machine gun.
This system uses the “silent watch,” meaning the vehicles can operate at a forward location without emitting any thermal or acoustic signature that could compromise their position. “Silent watch” enables the sensors and electronics to operate without activating the tank’s engine.
However, the AbramsX remains only a technology demonstrator created by GDLS. The Army has not ordered any prototypes, and there is currently no commitment to adopt or field the AbramsX. Its future within the U.S. tank fleet is uncertain, as it depends on future Army decisions.
Hybrid Electric Power Plant
The AbramsX features a hybrid-electric power system that combines a Cummins diesel engine with electric motors, resulting in a significant reduction in fuel consumption and logistical requirements compared to previous M1 Abrams tanks.
This hybrid system offers several key advantages, including reduced fuel use, which enables a 50% reduction in fuel consumption, silent watch capabilities for covert stationary operations, and the potential for electric-only silent mobility for short durations. The power system also enables more efficient operation, reduced weight, and exportable power.
“The AbramsX technology demonstrator features reduced weight for improved mobility and transportability, delivering the same tactical range as the M1A2 Abrams with 50% less fuel consumption,” General Dynamics Land Systems said in a press release.
“The AbramsX’s hybrid power pack supports the US Army’s climate and electrification strategies, enhances silent watch capability, and even allows for some silent mobility.”
Why The Abrams X Is Important
Its cancellation would mean a setback for the development and deployment of these new technologies.
For instance, the hybrid electric diesel engine was promised to offer greater fuel efficiency and reduced logistical burdens, while the AI-driven targeting system aimed to enhance battlefield awareness and decision-making.
An M1A2 Abrams tank from 1st Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, “Dragons,” 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, pulls during Combined Resolve X at the Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, May 1, 2018. Exercise Combined Resolve X is a U.S. Army Europe exercise series held twice a year in southeastern Germany. The goal of Combined Resolve is to prepare forces in Europe to work together to promote stability and security in the region. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Andrew McNeil / 22nd Mobile Public Affairs)
A U.S. Army tank crew assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, maneuvers an M1A2 Abrams tank at a railhead in preparation to transport it to Hohenfels, Germany during a railhead operation, Corbu, Romania, October 24, 2018. The Battalion has deployed to Europe in support of Atlantic Resolve, an enduring training exercise between NATO and U.S. Forces. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Jamar Marcel Pugh, 382nd Public Affairs Detachment/ 1st ABCT, 1st CD/Released)
Cancellation could also have implications for the broader Next-Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) program and the Army’s modernization effort. One question that remains, however, is whether the new hybrid engine will be easier or more challenging to maintain in field conditions. The same question applies to the advanced electronic system.
Losing the AbramsX would delay the integration of these advancements into the U.S. military, potentially allowing adversaries to close the technological gap.
Adversaries such as Russia and China, who are actively developing their own advanced tanks, like the T-14 Armata and China’s newest 4th-Generation Tank, might view this as an opportunity to assert their dominance in armored warfare.
The ongoing war in Ukraine has military analysts questioning whether the era of the main battle tank is over, given the number and effectiveness of drones and anti-tank missiles against tanks. It is changing, but tanks, like all military weapons systems, have to evolve with the times.
New tanks and armored platforms must be lighter, faster, deliver increased firepower, and be equipped to defend against drones and anti-tank missiles. Whether the Abrams X fulfills these requirements remains under consideration. Currently, there are no alternative options available.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
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