The M1 Abrams main battle tank is the principal combat tank of the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps, with three main versions being deployed starting in 1980: the M1, M1A1, and M1A2. The latest versions of the M1A2 have a new armor and electronics package. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and commander of the Army's 37th Armored Regiment.
The M1 Abrams replaced the M60 Patton in U.S. service, as well as the M48A5. It did, however, serve alongside the M60A3, which had entered service just two years before the M1 (in 1978), for over a decade.
Background
The first attempt to replace the aging M60 tank was the MBT-70, made with Germany. The M60 Patton was itself a gradual evolution of design starting with the M26 Pershing, with a very tall profile, and fairly average armor and weapon compared to the contemporary Soviet designs. The MBT-70 was very ambitious, like many American weapons programs of the 1960s. It had a gun launched missile system, kneeling suspension, a driver housed in the turret, and various other ideas that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Cancellation of this project paved the way for the much more successful M1 Abrams tank, which did not incorporate most of the troublesome innovations tried by the MBT-70.
Role in Ghost Recon
American M1 tanks fought against Russian ultranationalists in 2008 and also fought in the Eritrean war of 2009.
In 2013, 50 M1 tanks were transferred to Mexico as part of NAJSA. They were seized by General Ontiveros' forces, but the Ghosts led by Captain Scott Mitchell were able to defeat the Mexican warlord.
Trivia
- In Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, this tank is occasionally operated by 2 crews instead of 4, seen in "Ready for Bear" mission.
Appearances
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
| Ghost Recon Vehicles & Drones | |
|---|---|
| Ground Vehicles | M1 Abrams • M1126 Stryker • M2 Bradley • M109 • M113A2 ADATS • HMMWV • Ghost Truck • Jeep Armored SUV • Armored APC • T-62 • T-72 • T-80 • T-90 • T98 MBT • BTR-90 • BMP-2 • T86 IFV UAZ-469 • GAZ-66 • GAZ Tigr • WZ551 APC • 2S3 Akatsiya • 9K35 Strela-10 • PVRU SAM Launcher • FAV • 4x4 (Unidad) • Military Truck |
| Aircraft | UH-60 Black Hawk • MH-60K Black Hawk • V-22 Osprey • Kestrel • V8-99 Sphinx Aurora • CH-47F Chinook • OH-58D Kiowa • AH-6 Little Bird • AH-64 Apache Helicopter AH-1 SuperCobra • RC-12 • Mi-24 Hind • Mi-8 Helicopter • WZ-9 Gunship • Ka-60 |
| Drones | UAV Drone • Drone • M.U.L.E. • Warhound • Hammer drone • SUGV • DAR • GGT HD-MG • HD-SR • Bodark drone • UGCV drone • Heavy • VAR-SV • VAR-KP • VAR-RU LAZO • ZAR-V |