Tanks of the United States
The United States has produced tanks since their inception in World War I, up until the present day. While there were several American experiments in tank design, the first American tanks to see service were copies of French light tanks and a joint heavy tank design with the United Kingdom.
In the interwar period there was reduced development due to the low expenditure on war material following the US non-interventionist policy and the financial position.
In World War II, the US came to the fore with tanks designed for mass production and reliability reflecting the US position as the "arsenal of democracy".
The U.S. has been greatly influential in the design philosophy, production and doctrine of tanks, and has been responsible for some of the most successful tank designs.[citation needed]
World War I
The U.S. entered the First World War on the side of the
Captain
The
The Army in France was expecting the first 300 M1917s by April 1918, but by June, production had yet to begin, which forced the US to acquire 144 Renault FTs from the French. Production of the M1917 did not begin until the autumn, and the first completed vehicles emerged in October. Two arrived in France on 20 November, nine days after the armistice with Germany, and a further eight in December.[citation needed]
The
A contract for 15,000 of these vehicles was awarded; however, the U.S. Tank Corps felt that the design did not meet their requirements. The contract for the 15,000 tanks was ended after the Armistice, when only fifteen had been produced.[citation needed]
Post-World War I
After the end of the conflict, the
The M1917 tanks came too late, and did not take part in any combat during the war. Afterwards, however, five accompanied the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force to Tianjin in April 1927 under General Smedley Butler. They returned to the U.S. in late 1928.[6] After the Tank Corps was abolished as a separate branch, and control of tanks handed to the infantry, the number of tank units was progressively reduced, and the vehicles mothballed or scrapped.
The
Although the tank of World War I was slow, clumsy, difficult to control, and mechanically unreliable, its value as a weapon had been clearly demonstrated. In addition to the light and heavy categories of American-produced tanks of World War I, a third classification, the medium, began receiving attention in 1919. The meaning of the terms light, medium, and heavy tanks changed between the wars. During World War I and immediately thereafter, the light tank was considered to be up to 10 tons, the medium (produced by the British) was roughly between 10 and 25 tons, and the heavy was over 25 tons. Later, during World War II, increased weights resulted in light tank designs often weighing over 20 tons, medium tank designs weighing over 30 tons, and heavy tank designs weighing over 60 tons.
Patton and Eisenhower remained involved in developing the armored arm, which found a temporary home at Camp Meade under Rockenbach's command. In particular, the two men formulated theory and doctrine for the use of tanks in mass formations to achieve breakthroughs and carry out flanking attacks. They were met with vigorous opposition to their ideas from senior army officers, who favored the use of armor to support the infantry, not as a separate arm conducting independent operations. Congress took this view as well, when enacting the 1920 legislation that dissolved the Tank Corps as a separate entity.
The National Defense Act of 1920 placed the Tank Corps under the Infantry. Patton had argued for an independent Tank Corps, and understood that tanks operating with Cavalry would stress mobility, while tanks tied to the Infantry would emphasize firepower. However, the supply of slow World War I tanks and the subordination of tanks to the infantry branch impeded the development of any role other than direct infantry support, so the United States moved slowly in the development of armored and mechanized forces, which resulted in a significant cut in funding for tank research and development. Patton, convinced there was no future in tanks, applied and received a transfer to the cavalry in September 1920. Eisenhower got out two years later, in January 1922, when he was assigned to the staff of an infantry brigade in Panama.
The U.S. War Department considered that two types of tanks, the light and the medium, should fulfill all missions. The light tank was to be transportable by truck, and not exceed 5 tons gross weight. The medium tank was not to exceed 15 tons, so as to bring it within the weight capacity of railroad flatcars. Although an experimental 15-ton tank, the M1924, reached the mock-up stage, this and other attempts to satisfy the War Department and infantry specifications proved to be unsatisfactory. In reality, it was simply impossible to build a 15-ton vehicle meeting both War Department and infantry requirements.
In 1926, the General Staff reluctantly consented to the development of a 23-ton tank, although it made clear that efforts were to continue toward the production of a satisfactory 15-ton vehicle. The infantry were in agreement that a light tank, transportable by truck, best met their requirements. The net effect of the infantry's preoccupation with light tanks, and the limited funds available for tank development in general, was to slow the development of heavier vehicles and, ultimately, to contribute to the serious shortage of medium tanks at the outbreak of World War II.
The real beginning of the Armored Force was in 1928, twelve years before it was officially established, when Secretary of War
Despite inadequate funding, the Ordnance Department managed to develop several experimental light and medium tanks, and also worked with auto engineer J. Walter Christie to test a Christie design model by 1929. None of these tanks were accepted, usually because each of them exceeded standards set by other Army branches. Patton later worked closely with Christie to improve the silhouette, suspension, power, and armament of the tanks. Christie's ideas had a great impact upon tank tactics and unit organization in many countries and, finally, upon the U.S. Army as well.
On 21 November 1930, Douglas MacArthur had been made chief of staff, with the rank of general.[7] As chief of staff from 1930 to 1935, MacArthur wanted to advance motorization and mechanization throughout the Army. In late 1931 all arms and services were directed to adopt mechanization and motorization, and were permitted to conduct research and experiment as necessary. The Cavalry was given the task of developing combat vehicles that would enhance its role of reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance, flank action, and pursuit.
With the law passed, tanks belonged to the infantry branch, so the cavalry gradually bought a group of combat cars, lightly armored and armed tanks that were often indistinguishable from the newer infantry "tanks". In 1933, MacArthur set the stage for the complete mechanization of the cavalry, declaring "The horse has no higher degree of mobility today than he had a thousand years ago. The time has therefore arrived when the Cavalry arm must either replace or assist the horse as a means of transportation, or else pass into the limbo of discarded military formations."[8]
In November 1936, the U.S. Army's cavalry branch decided to modernize and needed a fully armored vehicle, capable of keeping up with the cavalry and of fulfilling regular combat duties. It came up with the
Interwar
M1 Combat Car and M2 Light Tank
The
The next tank to be designed, the
An improved version of the M2 Light Tank, the M2A4, armed with a high-velocity
T1 Light Tank and T2 Medium Tank
The
Marmon Herrington light tanks
The Marmon-Herrington Combat Tank Light was a US light tank produced for the export market at the start of the Second World War. The CTL-3 had a crew of two and was armed with three M1919 Browning machine guns.[13]
A few saw combat in the Dutch East Indies campaign against the Japanese invasion.[14][15]
In mid-1942 a batch was diverted to Australia from the Dutch order where they were used for training[16]
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, some of these tanks were taken over by the United States Army and employed in Northern Alaska as the T14 and T16 respectively.[17] There were also sent to Chinese Nationalist forces fighting the Japanese as more than 600 of the T16 CTMS tanks were delivered to China under Lend-Lease after Pearl Harbor.
M2 Medium tank
The
Production for the M2 Medium Tanks was 18 M2 tanks, and 94 M2A1 tanks, for a total of 112. For combat it was a poor design, with thin armor, inadequate main armament and a high-profile. The four sponson-mounted machine guns proved to be completely unnecessary. But it provided important lessons that were used for the later M3 and M4 medium tanks. In particular, the M2's sloped frontal hull armor (glacis plate) was extremely advanced for a 1939 design, and would become a permanent feature of U.S. tank design. Events in Western Europe and on the Eastern Front rapidly demonstrated that the M2 was obsolete, and it was never used overseas in combat; it was used for training purposes throughout the war.
Chrysler opened a new tank plant, the
World War II
Light tanks
M3 Light Tank and M5 Light Tank
The
The initial upgrade was designated the M3 Light Tank, and it was given thicker armor, modified suspension and a 37 mm gun. Production of the M3 and later the M5 Stuart started in March 1941 and continued until October 1943 with a total of 25,000 produced.
An upgrade of the M3, which was initially called M4 but later redesignated the M5, was developed with improved engines and produced in 1942. The M5 featured a redesigned hull and driver's hatches moved to the top. There was the
The British Army was the first to use the M3 in combat. In November 1941, some 170 Stuarts took part in Operation Crusader, with poor results.
Although the high losses suffered by Stuart-equipped units during the operation had more to do with better tactics and training of the enemy than superiority of enemy tanks in the North African campaign, the operation revealed that the M3 had several technical faults. Mentioned in the British complaints were the 37mm gun's limited range and poor internal layout. The two-man turret crew was a significant weakness, and some British units tried to fight with three-man turret crews. Crews liked the vehicle's high speed and mechanical reliability.
From the summer of 1942, when enough U.S. medium tanks had been received, the British usually kept Stuarts out of tank-to-tank combat. M3s, M3A3s, and M5s continued in British service until the end of the war, but British armor units had a smaller proportion of these light tanks than US units. The National Revolutionary Army also received the M3A3s tanks and some were later used in the fight against the Communist forces.
The other major
In
On 21 November 1941, the 192nd and 194th Tank Battalions were combined to form the Provisional Tank Group under the command of
On 22 December 1941, the 192nd Tank Battalion became the first American unit to engage enemy armor in tank-to-tank combat during World War II as they ran into tanks from the
When the American Army joined the
After the disastrous
In the
The US liquidated its Stuarts when it got sufficient numbers of M24 Chaffees, but the tank remained in service until the end of the war and well after. In addition to the United States, United Kingdom and Soviet Union, who were the primary users, it was also used by France and China.
M22 Locust
The Light Tank (Airborne) M22, also known as the Locust, began development in late 1941 in response to a request by the British military earlier in the year for an airmobile
After a series of modifications were made to the initial prototype, production began in April 1943. It was significantly delayed, however, when several faults were found with the tank's design. Marmon-Herrington only began to produce significant numbers of the T9 in late 1943 and early 1944, and by then the design was considered to be obsolete; only 830 were built by the time production ended in February 1945. As a result, the Ordnance Department gave the tank the specification number M22 but no American combat units were equipped with it.
However, during 1943, the War Office believed that the tank would perform adequately despite its faults that came to light, so the tank was given the title of 'Locust' and 260 were shipped to Great Britain under the Lend-Lease Act. Seventeen Locusts were received by the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment in late 1943. Eight were eventually used during the airborne Operation Varsity in March 1945. The tanks did not perform well in action and Locusts were never used in action again.
M24 Chaffee
In April 1943 the government started work on the
The first thirty four M24s reached Europe in November 1944 and were issued to the U.S. 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) in France. These were then issued to F Company, 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalion and F Company, 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalion which each received seventeen M24s. During the
The M24 started to enter widespread issue in December 1944 but were slow in reaching the front-line combat units. By the end of the war, many armored divisions were still mainly equipped with the M5. Some armored divisions did not receive their first M24s until the war was over.
Reports were generally positive. Crews liked the improved offroad performance and reliability, but were most appreciative of the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the 37 mm. The M24 was not up to the challenge of fighting tanks, but the bigger gun gave it a chance to defend itself when required. Regardless, its light armor still left it vulnerable.
The M24's service during World War II was insignificant, as too few arrived too late to replace the M5s of the armored divisions, but the M24 saw extensive use in the Korean War.
In the Korean War, M24s were the initial US tanks directed to combat the North Korean T-34-85s. The occupation troops in Japan from which the tanks were drawn were inexperienced and under-equipped due to rapid demobilization after World War II. The M24 fared poorly against these better armed, better armored, and better crewed medium tanks, losing most of their number while inflicting only minor damage on the T-34 units.
Medium and heavy tanks
M3 Lee
The Medium Tank M3 replaced the M2 Medium tank and design commenced in July 1940, and the first "Lees" were operational in late 1941.[30] Many were sent to the British where the tank was called the "General Lee" (after Confederate General Robert E. Lee), or "General Grant" (after General Ulysses S. Grant) depending whether they had U.S. specification or British specification turrets respectively.
The U.S. Army needed a good tank and coupled with Great Britain's demand for 3,650 medium tanks immediately,[31] the Lee began production by late 1940. The M3 was well armed and armored for the period, but due to design flaws (high silhouette, archaic sponson mounting of the main gun, below average offroad performance) it was not satisfactory and was withdrawn from front line duty as soon as the M4 Sherman became available in large numbers, although the British managed to use the M3 successfully against the Imperial Japanese Army in Burma until 1945.[32]
When the U.S. entered the war, the
The M3's design was somewhat unusual as the main weapon, a larger caliber, low-velocity 75 mm gun, was mounted in an offset sponson within the hull, giving the gun a limited traverse. A small turret with a lighter, high-velocity 37 mm gun sat on the tall hull. An even smaller cupola on top of the turret held a Browning M1919. The British ordered the M3 when they were refused permission to have their own tank designs (the Matilda infantry tank and Crusader cruiser tank) made by American factories. British experts had viewed the mock-up in 1940 and identified several flaws — the high profile, the hull mounted gun, radio in the hull, smooth tracks, the amount of armor with insufficient attention to splash-proofing the joints.[33] The British agreed to order 1,250 M3s, to be modified to their requirements - the order was subsequently increased with the expectation that when a superior tank was available it could replace part of the order. Contracts were arranged with three U.S. companies, and the total cost was approximately US$240 million. This sum was all of the British funds in the US and it took the Lend-Lease Act to solve the financial problems.
The prototype was completed in March 1941 and production models followed with the first British specification tanks in July. The British cast turret included a bustle at the back for the Wireless Set No. 19 radio. It had thicker armour than the U.S. one and removed the U.S. cupola for a simple hatch. Both U.S. and British tanks had thicker armor than first planned.[34] The British design required one fewer crew member than the US version due to the radio in the turret. The U.S. eventually eliminated the full-time radio operator, assigning the task to the driver. After extensive losses in Africa and Greece, the British realized that to meet their needs for tanks, both the Lee and the Grant types would need to be accepted.
The U.S. military utilized the "M" (Model) letter to designate nearly all of their equipment. When the British Army received their new M3 medium tanks from the US, confusion immediately set in,[35] as the M3 medium tank and the M3 light tank were identically named. The British Army began naming[18] their American tanks, although the U.S. Army never used those terms until after the war.[18] The M3 tanks with the British turret and radio setup received the name "General Grant", while the original M3s were called "General Lee", or more usually just "Grant" and "Lee". The M3 brought much-needed firepower to British forces in the North African desert campaign.
The 75 mm was operated by a gunner and a loader. The 75 mm gun used an M1 periscope, with an integral telescope, which was mounted on top of the sponson for sighting. The periscope rotated with the gun. The sight was marked from zero to 3,000 yd (2,700 m)[36] with vertical markings to aid deflection shooting at a moving target. The gunner laid the gun on target through geared handwheels for traverse and elevation.
The 37 mm was aimed through the M2 periscope, though this was mounted in the mantlet to the side of the gun. It also sighted the coaxial machine gun. Two range scales were provided: 0-1,500 yd (1,400 m) for the 37 mm and 0-1,000 yd (910 m) for the machine gun.
Of the 6,258 M3s produced by the U.S., 2,855 were supplied to the British Army, and about 1,368 to the
In all three areas, it outclassed the available British tanks and was able to fight
M4 Sherman
The M4 was one of the best known and most used American tanks of World War II. Like the Lee and Grant, the British were responsible for the name, with this tank's namesake being Civil War General, William Tecumseh Sherman. The M4 Sherman was a medium tank that proved itself in the Allied operations of every theater of World War II. The Sherman was a relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain and produce combat system. Similar to production efforts on the part of the Soviet Union with their T-34 tank system, the M4 Sherman was the same class of mass-produced tank weapon.
The new design was put into action beginning on 31 August 1940. This medium tank would have to mount a 75 mm main gun armament into a fully-traversable turret. The new tank would also have to incorporate the engine, transmission, tracks and suspension systems of the M3 Lee medium tanks in an effort to ease production and save time. This new medium tank would also have to reduce the crew from six to five and feature improved armor allocation without increasing the vehicle's overall weight.
The design appeared as the T6 pilot model: it proved acceptable to U.S. Army officials and production was ordered for the new "M4" on 5 September 1941. Before production on the M4 ramped up, however, the M4 design was further revised to include a heavy-barrel .50 BMG M2 Browning on the turret for anti-aircraft defense. A .30-06 M1919 Browning was then added to the upper hull bow plate.
The Army had seven main sub-designations for M4 variants during production: M4, M4A1, M4A2, M4A3, M4A4, M4A5, and M4A6. These designations did not necessarily indicate linear improvement: A4 was not meant to indicate it was better than the A3. These sub-types indicated standardized production variations, which were in fact often manufactured concurrently at different locations. The sub-types differed mainly in engines, although the M4A1 differed from the M4 by its fully cast upper hull; the M4A4 had a longer engine system that required a longer hull, a longer suspension system, and more track blocks; M4A5 was an administrative placeholder for Canadian production; and the M4A6 had an elongated chassis, but fewer than 100 of these were produced.
One main problem for the Sherman design, in its various forms, was the heavier guns on the German tanks coming onto the battlefield in the latter half of the war, especially the Tiger and Panther tanks. The German Tiger I tank was armed with a powerful 88 mm gun (originally developed from the 88mm Flak Gun) that made it a very dangerous opponent for any Allied tank.
While most Shermans ran on gasoline, the M4A2 and M4A6 had diesel engines: the M4A2 with a pair of GMC 6-71 straight six-cylinder engines,[40] the M4A6 a Caterpillar RD1820 radial.[41] These, plus the M4A4, which used the Chrysler A57 multibank engine, were mostly supplied to Allied countries under Lend-Lease.[42] "M4" can refer specifically to the initial sub-type with its Continental radial engine, or generically to the entire family of seven Sherman sub-types, depending on context.
Many details of production, shape, strength and performance improved throughout production, without a change to the tank's basic model number: more durable suspension units, safer "wet" (W) ammunition stowage, and stronger armor arrangements, such as the M4 Composite, which had a cast front hull section mated to a welded rear hull. British nomenclature differed from that employed by the U.S.[a] The M4 Sherman was used by many of America's allies and continued to see service long after World War II.
A 24-volt electrical system was used in the M4.[43]
Early Shermans mounted a
Later, the M4 and M4A3 were factory-produced with a 105 mm howitzer and a new distinctive mantlet in the original turret. The first standard-production 76 mm gun Sherman was an M4A1, accepted in January 1944, and the first standard-production 105 mm howitzer Sherman was an M4 accepted in February 1944.
In June–July 1944, the Army accepted a limited run of 254 M4A3E2 Jumbo Shermans, which had very thick armor, and the 75 mm gun in a new, heavier T23-style turret, in order to assault fortifications at Normandy Beach. Some armor points exceeded 7 inches (17 cm) in effective thickness. Some were upgraded with the 76.2 mm gun. The M4A3 was the first to be factory-produced with the
Both the Americans and the British developed a wide array of special attachments for the Sherman; few saw combat, and most remained experimental. Those that saw action included the bulldozer blade for the Sherman
M6 Heavy Tank
The M6 heavy tank was a heavy tank built off of the similarly designed multi-turreted T1, armed with a 76.2 mm gun, a co-axial 37 mm gun, two .50 BMG M2 Browning and two .30-06 M1919 Browning machine guns, two in the hull and one on top of the turret. An order of 50 was placed and prototype vehicles saw trials but by the time it was ready for full-scale production the Army did not see any advantages over the M4 Sherman and planned production was cut from 5000 to 40. The M6 was declared obsolete in 1944 but was used in propaganda efforts.
T14 Heavy Tank
The
M26 Pershing
The
The M26 Pershing Heavy Tank had heavier armor, a more powerful gun, and improved torsion bar suspension compared to the Sherman. The main armament of the M26 Pershing was its 90 mm gun. Secondary .30-06 machine guns were mounted co-axially in the turret and in the bow.[b] A .50 BMG heavy machine gun was mounted on top of the turret.
One T26E1 had been fitted with an experimental longer version of the 90 mm gun mounted in the turret. It was shipped to Europe, where extra armor taken from a German tank was welded on. Nicknamed "Super Pershing" it was comparable to the German Tiger II in firepower and protection and was one of only two deployed to Europe during World War II.[44] It saw combat in mid-1945.
A total of 2,222 M26 Pershing tanks were produced, beginning in November 1944, only 20 of which saw combat in Europe during World War II. The tank was reclassified as a medium tank in May 1946, and while it didn't have time to make any impact in the Second World War, it served with distinction in the Korean War alongside the M4A3E8 Sherman. In combat it was, unlike the M4 Sherman, fairly equal in firepower and protection to both the Tiger I and Panther tanks, but shared their main faults, underpowered and mechanically unreliable.
Tank destroyers and assault guns
Alongside tanks, the US Army employed tracked "
M10 GMC
The 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10 was a 3-inch gun in open-topped turret on a M4 Sherman-based chassis.
M18 Hellcat
The M18 Hellcat (officially designated the "76 mm Gun Motor Carriage M18" or M18 GMC for short) was used in the Italian, European, and Pacific Theaters, and in the Korean War. It was the fastest armored vehicle in the American defense inventory of the 20th century, until the turboshaft-powered M1 Abrams main battle tank appeared decades later.[45] The speed was attained by keeping armor to a minimum, no more than one inch thick and roofless, open-top turrets (a standard design feature for all American fully tracked tank destroyers of World War II) and by powering the relatively small vehicle with a radial engine originally designed for aircraft usage.
M36 Jackson/GMC
Together with the M10 and M18, the 90 mm gun-armed
Howitzer Motor Carriage M8
The
Korean War and Cold War
Light tanks
M24 Chaffee
The M24 Chaffee was intended to replace the aging and obsolete Light Tank M5 (Stuart), which was used in supplementary roles. Crews liked the improved off-road performance and reliability, but were most appreciative of the 75 mm main gun, which was a vast improvement over the 37 mm. The M24's light armor made it vulnerable to enemy tanks, anti-tank guns, and hand-held anti-tank weapons.
In the Korean Conflict, M24s were the initial U.S. tanks directed to combat the North Korean T-34-85s. The occupation troops in Japan from which the tanks were drawn were inexperienced and under-equipped due to rapid demobilization after World War II. The M24 fared poorly against these better armed, better armored, and better crewed medium tanks, losing most of their number while inflicting only minor damage on the T-34 units. Managing a fighting withdrawal, they ended up as artillery in the Pusan Perimeter; in August reinforcements from the US and the Commonwealth brought heavier tanks that could easily dispatch the T-34s. M24s were more successful later in the war in their reconnaissance role, supported by heavier, more capable tanks such as the M4 Sherman, M26 Pershing, and M46 Patton.
M41 Walker Bulldog
The development of the T37 began in 1947 to replace the M24 Chaffee. The vehicle was designed to be air-transportable, and with heavier firepower, provided by an advanced 76 mm gun. In 1949, with the adoption of a less ambitious rangefinder, the project's designation was changed to M41. Production started in 1951 at Cadillac's Cleveland Tank Plant, and by 1953 the new tank completely replaced the M24 in the United States Army. It was later designated the M41 Walker Bulldog. The M41 was agile and well armed. On the other hand, it was noisy, fuel-hungry and heavy enough to cause problems with air transport.
The Walker Bulldog saw limited combat with the U.S. Army during the
Medium tanks
M4A3
The M4A3 was the last type of Sherman in U.S. service. It was roughly equal to the enemy T-34-85s and they could destroy each other at normal combat ranges. Later in the war, they were only used for artillery and reserves.
M26 Pershing
The M26 Pershing was named after General John J. Pershing who led the American Expeditionary Force in Europe in World War I. It was designed at the end of World War II, but saw little combat action due to its late introduction into service. Designed as a heavy tank, the Pershing was a significant upgrade from the M4 Sherman in terms of firepower with its 90 mm gun and protection. In May 1946, due to changing conceptions of the U.S. Army's tank needs, the M26 was reclassified as a medium tank. However, its mobility was unsatisfactory for a medium tank, due to the fact that it used the same engine that powered the M4A3, which was some ten tons lighter, and its transmission was somewhat unreliable. In 1948, the M26E2 version was developed with a new powerpack. The new version was redesignated as the M46 Patton and 1,160 M26s were rebuilt to this new standard.
The M26 Pershing would see large scale combat deployments in the Korean War.
M46 Patton
The mobility of the M26 Pershing was deemed unsatisfactory for a medium tank, as it added 10 tons of weight but used the same engine that powered the much lighter M4 Sherman.
Work began in 1948 on replacing the power plant in the M26 Pershing, with a more powerful engine and more reliable transmission. The Continental AV1790-3 was chosen which was capable of more than 800 hp compared to the previous engine in the M26 Pershing which was rated for only 500 hp, and was coupled with the cross-drive transmission Allison CD-850-1. Modifications continued to accumulate, and eventually the Bureau of Ordnance decided that the tank needed its own unique designation. When the rebuilding process began in November 1949, the upgraded M26 received a new power plant and a main gun with a bore evacuator, and the M46 Patton designation. Less than a thousand were upgraded to M46 standard.
The M46 Patton became a completely upgraded and modernized version of the M26 Pershing, and a total of 1,168 M46 tanks were manufactured between 1949 and 1951. On 8 August 1950 the first M46 Pattons were deployed to South Korea. The tank proved superior to the much lighter North Korean T-34-85, which were encountered in relatively small numbers. By the end of 1950, 200 M46 Pattons had been fielded, forming about 15% of US tank strength in Korea; the balance of 1,326 tanks shipped to Korea during 1950 included 679 M4A3 Shermans, 309 M26 Pershings, and 138 M24 Chaffee light tanks.[49]
The M46 Patton was slower compared to other medium tank counterparts, but its maneuverability and powerful 90 mm gun made it a formidable weapon in the Korean Conflict.
Subsequent shipments of M46 and M46A1 Pattons meant all remaining M26 Pershings were withdrawn during 1951, and most Sherman equipped units were also reequipped with the newer models of tanks.[50]
Post-Korean War
Medium tanks
M47 Patton
The M47 Patton was intended to replace the M46 Patton and M4 Sherman tanks. It had a 90 mm gun and a crew of five. Although it was the primary tank of the US, it never saw combat while in US service.
M48 Patton
In early 1951, the U.S. initiated the design of the
T95 Medium Tank
The
Heavy tanks
M103 heavy tank
The
The M103 was designed to counter Soviet heavy tanks. Its long-ranged 120 mm cannon was designed to hit enemy tanks at extreme distances, but it was never used in combat. Of the 300 M103s built, most went to the Marine Corps.[53] The tank was relatively underpowered and the drive systems were fragile.
The turret of the M103 was larger than that of the M48 or the M60 to make room for the huge 120 mm gun and the two loaders assigned to it, in addition to the gunner and the commander. The driver sat in the hull. The gun was capable of elevation from +15 to -8 degrees.
While the US Army deactivated its heavy armor units with the reception of the new M60 series main battle tanks in 1960, the remaining M103s stayed within the US Marine Corps inventory until they began receiving the M60 series main battle tank. With the disappearance of the heavy tank from US forces came the full acceptance of the main battle tank in 1960 in the U.S. Army, and in 1973 in the U.S. Marine Corps.[54]
Vietnam War
Light tanks
M551 Sheridan
The design of the
The need for even lighter weight than the T-92 presented the design with a difficult problem: guns capable of defeating modern tanks at reasonable ranges were so large that they demanded a large vehicle to carry them, to the point where the vehicle would be unable to fulfill its intended doctrinal use as a light tank. The use of
The performance of the M81 gun was deficient in the medium and long-range anti-tank engagement. The muzzle velocity was so low that a HEAT round fired at longer ranges would have to be "lofted", making aiming difficult, and the flight time would be so long that a moving target would be very difficult to hit. However, it appeared there was a solution to this problem by equipping the tank with gun-fired
The vehicle designed to mount the gun had a steel turret and aluminum hull. It was powered by a large diesel engine. The M551 thus had excellent mobility, able to run at speeds up to 45 mph. Amphibious capability was provided by a flotation screen. Production started on late July 1966, and entered service in June 1967. More than 1,600 M551s were built between 1966 and 1970. Total cost of the M551 program was $1.3 billion.
The vehicle proved to be very noisy and unreliable under combat conditions. The armor was thin enough that it could be penetrated even by heavy machine gun rounds as well as being highly vulnerable to mines.
Firing the gun would often adversely affect the delicate electronics, which were at the early stages of transitioning to solid state, so the missile and guidance system was omitted from vehicles deployed to Vietnam. Thus, despite the production of 88,000 of the expensive missiles, few were ever used in combat. The gun had problems with cracks developing near the breech after repeated firing. Most field units were modified to help address the problem and the modified M81E1 was introduced with a shallower slot, along with a matching modification to the missile, that solved the problem. The gun also has been criticized for having too much recoil for the vehicle weight, with the second and even third road wheels coming clear off the ground when the main gun fired.
The Sheridan saw extensive action in the Vietnam War, being assigned to nearly all armored cavalry squadrons in the country. In 1969, armored cavalry units began replacing their M48 Patton tanks.
The battle reports from the troops were sometimes glowing, while the reports higher up the chain of command were often negative. A 1969 evaluation of the vehicles found the M551 was employed in reconnaissance, night patrol and road clearing, accumulating 39,455 road miles and 520 combat missions, with a ready rate of 81.3 percent. Despite vulnerability to rockets and mines, it was judged worth applying modifications and equip all cavalry squadrons with the Sheridan.[55]
The Sheridan was much appreciated by the infantry who were desperate for direct-fire support, which generally served in combination with
A common field-modification was to mount a large steel shield, known as an "ACAV set" (Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle), around the commander's .50 caliber (12.7 mm) gun, allowing it to be fired with some level of protection. The driver has an unusual rotating hatch which has vision blocks when rotated forward. Included with the set was an extra layer of steel belly armor which was bolted onto the vehicle's bottom, although only covering from the front to halfway to the end, possibly due to weight reasons.
A standard modification made during the mid-1970s was the addition of the "Cereal Bowl" commander's cupola. This modification came about due to the broken rib effect that occurred when the Sheridan fired conventional rounds: the recoil would pitch the TC against the armor plating, resulting in cracked ribs on the crewmembers.
Medium Tanks
M48 Patton
The M48s saw extensive action during the
When US forces commenced redeployment operations, many of the M48A3 Pattons were turned over to the
During this battle, one M48A3 Patton tank and one M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) were destroyed, becoming the first losses to the Sagger missile; losses that would echo on an even larger scale a year later during the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East in 1973.[58]
The M48s performed admirably[59] in Vietnam in the infantry-support role. However, there were few actual tank versus tank battles. The M48s provided adequate protection for its crew from small arms, mines, and rocket-propelled grenades.
In the mid-1970s, the M48A5 upgrade was developed to allow the vehicle to carry a heavier 105 mm gun. This was designed to bring the M48s up to standard with the
Main battle tanks
M60
The M60 tank was designed as a replacement for the M48 Patton and is based on a modified M48 hull.
In 1957, plans were laid in the US for a tank with a 105 mm main gun and a redesigned hull, offering better armor protection.
The resulting M60 largely resembled the M48 it was based on, but has significant differences: the M60 mounted a bore evacuated 105 mm main gun, had a hull with a straight front slope whereas the M48's hull was rounded, had three support rollers per side to the M48's five, and had road wheels constructed from aluminum rather than steel.
The hull of the M60 was a single piece steel casting divided into three compartments, with the driver in front, the fighting compartment in the middle, and the engine at the rear.[60] The driver looked through three M27 day periscopes, one of which could be replaced by a night vision periscope.[60] Initially, the M60 had essentially the same turret shape as the M48, but this was subsequently replaced with a distinctive "needlenose" design that minimized frontal cross-section to enemy fire.
The M60 was the last U.S. main battle tank to utilize homogeneous steel armor for protection. It was also the last to feature either the M60 machine gun or an escape hatch under the hull.
Originally designated the M68, the new vehicle was put into production in 1959, reclassified as the M60, and entered service in 1960. Over 15,000 M60s (across all variants) were constructed.
M60A1
In 1963, the M60 was upgraded to the M60A1. This new variant, which stayed in production until 1980, featured a larger, better-shaped turret and improvements to the armor protection and shock absorbers. The M60A1 was also equipped with a stabilization system for the main gun. However, the M60A1 was still not able to fire on the move, as the system only kept the gun pointed in the same general direction while the tank was traveling cross country. It did however enable the coaxial machine gun to be brought to bear while moving.
Post-Vietnam
Light tanks
M551 Sheridan
The Army reclassified their armor (tanks) in 1950 from heavy, medium, and light tanks to 120mm, 90mm and 76mm gun tanks, etc. Consequently, when the M551 Sheridan entered combat in Vietnam in January 1969, it was assigned to strictly
The Sheridan's only air drop in
51 Sheridans were deployed in the Gulf War as some of the first tanks sent. They would not be very effective against the Russian-built T-72s. Their role was limited by age and light armor to reconnaissance, possibly 6 or fewer Shillelagh missiles were test fired[63] at empty Iraqi bunkers. These few missiles, less than a half-dozen of the 88,000 produced, were the only Shillelaghs fired in a combat environment.
Several attempts to up-gun or replace the Sheridan have been made, but none were successful. Several experimental versions of the Sheridan mounting a new turret carrying a 105 mm gun were made. The U.S. Army sought to replace the
Main battle tanks
M60A2
The M60A2, nicknamed the "Starship" due to its
The M60A2 proved a disappointment, though technical advancements would pave the way for future tanks. The Shillelagh/M60A2 system was phased out from active units by 1981, and the turrets scrapped. Most of the M60A2 tanks were rebuilt as M60A3.[64]
M60A3
The development of the M60A2 with a new turret fitted with a 152mm gun was stopped and in 1978, work began on the M60A3 variant. It featured a number of technological enhancements, including smoke dischargers, a new rangefinder, and M21 ballistic computer, and a turret stabilization system. In addition, it reverted to the M68A1 105 mm cannon. All active American Army M60s eventually underwent the conversion to the A3 model. The M60A3 main battle tanks of the US Army were deployed in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 during the Gulf Crisis.
The M60A3 was phased out of US service in 1997 and was replaced by the M1 Abrams main battle tank.[65]
MBT-70
The
The MBT-70 was developed by the United States and West Germany in the context of the
By the late 1960s, the development of the MBT-70 was well over budget and affected by design issues. West Germany withdrew from the project due to costs and a new difference in requirements. The United States continued development of the MBT-70 until 1971 when the program was finally cancelled. West Germany independently developed the Leopard 2 as its new main battle tank.
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams came from the diverted funds from the over budget and impractical MBT-70 and XM815 projects.
Prototypes were delivered in 1976 by Chrysler Defense and General Motors armed with a license-built 105 mm rifled cannon. The Chrysler Defense design was selected for development as the M1. In 1979, General Dynamics Land Systems Division purchased Chrysler Defense. The M1 was the first of its kind. It featured a low profile turret and for the first time ever on a tank, composite chobham armor. Despite all these advances, the Abrams still retained the 4-man crew of the M60 tank as the autoloader was considered unproven and risky.
Over 3,200 M1 Abrams were produced and first entered US Army service in 1980.
About 6,000 upgraded M1A1 Abrams were produced and used a 120 mm
Since the Cold War the U.S. has moved away almost completely from using light tanks; instead supplementing these with heavily armed armored cars. The M60A1/(A3 For Army) tank continued in service with the Marines and saw action in the Gulf War.
Iraq Conflict
Persian Gulf War
M60
The
M1 Abrams
When the Abrams entered service in the 1980s, they operated alongside
The Abrams remained untested in combat until the
Interwar upgrades
The M1A2 was a further improvement, with a commander's independent thermal viewer and weapon station, position navigation equipment, digital data bus and a radio interface unit.
Further upgrades included depleted uranium armor for all variants, a system overhaul that returns all A1s to like-new condition (M1A1 AIM), a digital enhancement package for the A1 (M1A1D), a commonality program to standardize parts between the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps (M1A1HC) and an electronic upgrade for the A2 (M1A2 SEP).
During Operations
Afghanistan/Iraq Wars
M1 Abrams
Further combat was seen during 2003 in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of March 2005, approximately 80 Abrams tanks were forced out of action by enemy attacks.[67]
The campaign in Iraq saw very similar performance from the tank from the Persian Gulf war, with no Abrams crew member being lost to hostile fire during the invasion of Iraq, although several tank crew members were later killed by snipers and roadside bombs during the occupation that followed. Abandoned Abrams were purposely destroyed by friendly fire to prevent recovery of vehicle or technology. Damage by 25 mm
The most lopsided achievement of the M1A1s was the destruction of seven T-72
The M1A3 Abrams is in the early design period with the U.S. Army.[70][71] The Army aims to build prototypes by 2014 and to begin to field the first combat-ready M1A3s by 2017. The Army anticipates that the Abrams may remain in U.S. service until 2050.
The U.S. Army's
List of Tanks in the United States Army
World War I
- M1917 - Licensed-built French Renault FT.
Interwar (WWI-WWII)
- Light Tank, M1/M1 Combat Car
- Light Tank, M2
- M2A2/A3/A4
- T7 Combat Car - Light tank
World War II
- Medium Tank, M2
- M3/M5 Stuart - Light tank
- M3 Lee/Medium Tank, M3
- M4 Sherman + variants
- Heavy Tank M6- Experimental
- Light Tank (Airborne), M22 - Airborne light tank
- Light Tank, M24 Chaffee
- T28 Super Heavy Tank - Super-heavy tank/assault gun
- Medium Tanks T20/T22/T23
Cold War-Present Day
- M26 Pershing - Heavy/medium
- M103 heavy tank - Never saw action
- T92 light tank - Experimental
- M41 Walker Bulldog, officially 76mm Gun Tank, M41 - Light tank
- M46 Patton - Medium tank
- M47 Patton - Medium tank
- M48 Patton - Main battle tank (MBT)
- M60 - MBT
- M551 Sheridan AR/AAV - Amphibiouslight tank
- M8 Armored Gun System (AGS) "Buford" - Light tank
- MBT-70 - Experimental MBT
- M1 Abrams - MBT
- XM1202 MCS - Experimental
See also
- History of the tank
- Tanks in World War I
- List of interwar armoured fighting vehicles
- Tanks in World War II
- Comparison of early World War II tanks
- Tanks of the U.S. in the World Wars
- American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
Notes
- ^ see Lend-Lease Sherman tanks#British nomenclature
- ^ a b The terminology of nautical architecture (i.e., the terms used for the elements and layout of ships) is also used for tanks.
- ^ "According to the Army's Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, 23 Abrams tanks were destroyed or damaged in the Persian Gulf area. Of the nine Abrams destroyed, seven were due to friendly fire, and two were intentionally destroyed to prevent capture after they became disabled. Other Abrams tanks were damaged by enemy fire, land mines, or on-board fires."[66]
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- ^ a b Zaloga 2008, p. 2.
- ^ Hoffman 1973, p. 20.
- ^ a b Steadman 1982.
- ^ Rinaldi 2004, p. 169.
- ^ Zaloga 2012, p. 5.
- ^ James 1970, pp. 340–347..
- ^ United States. War Department. General Staff 1933, p. 28.
- ^ Foss 2002.
- ^ Combat Car M1.
- ^ Chamberlain & Ellis 1969, pp. 86–87.
- ^ a b Brown 2000.
- ^ Spoelstra, Hanno. "Marmon-Herrington Tanks". Marmon-Herrington Military Vehicles.
- ^ Spoelstra, Hanno. "Marmon-Herrington tanks: The Dutch Connection". Marmon-Herrington Military Vehicles.
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- ^ Chamberlain & Ellis 1969, pp. 97–98.
- ^ Hunnicutt (Stuart) pages 127 & 395
- ^ a b c d e Hunnicutt (Stuart) page 395
- ^ a b Zaloga (M3/M5 Stuart) page 13
- ^ Zaloga (Japanese Tanks 1939–45) page 3
- ^ Zaloga (Armored Thunderbolt) page 302
- ^ Hunnicutt (Stuart) page 396 photo of captured US M3 light tanks wearing IJA markings
- ^ Flint, page 22.
- ^ Zaloga 2008, p. 16,20.
- ^ Zaloga 2008, p. 20,21.
- ^ "The British Army in Burma 1945". Imperial War Museum.
- ^ Fletcher 1989, p. 90.
- ^ Fletcher 1989, p. 93.
- ^ Zaloga 2008, p. 18.
- ^ later 3,500 yards
- ^ Zaloga 2008, p. 28,30,31.
- ^ Zaloga 2008, p. 28.
- ^ Fletcher 1989, p. 92: "initially there were problems with engine wear and suspension springs"
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- ^ Berndt, pp.192-3.
- ^ Berndt, pages 190 & 192-3.
- ^ Berndt, page 195.
- ^ "M26 Pershing: Why America's Heavy Tank Arrived Too Late for WWII". warfarehistorynetwork.com. 7 January 2019.
- ISBN 978-1-84176-687-4
- ^ Jarymowycz 2001, p. 158.
- ^ "Cuban Tanks • Rubén Urribarres".
- ^ "Enemy Tanks • Rubén Urribarres".
- ISBN 1-84176-202-4pages 39-40
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- ^ Hunnicut/Firepower
- ^ Hunnicutt, p. 78
- ^ [1] Washer evaluation 1969.
- ^ Hunnicutt 2015.
- OL 4725093M. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2020 – via United States Army Center of Military History.)
{{cite report}}
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- ^ a b "M60 Patton Main Battle Tank (USA)".
- ^ Armor In Vietnam, ST 17-1-3, U.S. Army 1970, p. 3-31
- ^ Doyle 2008, pp. 44, 46.
- ^ Doyle 2008, p. 4.
- ^ "M60 Patton". www.patton-mania.com.
- ^ Development and History of the M-60 tank Archived 11 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Early performance assessment of Bradleys and Abrams" (PDF). gao.gov U.S. Government Accountability Office. p. 24. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
- ^ Komarow, Steven. "Tanks take a beating in Iraq", USA Today, 29 March 2005.
- ^ Abrams Tank Systems, Lessons Learned Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003, globalsecurity.
- ^ Conroy, Jason & Martz, Ron: Heavy Metal: A Tank Company's Battle To Baghdad. Potomac Books, 2005, page 158.
- ^ "Army looking into lighter Abrams tank - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
- ^ "New Army tank could mean changes for M1A1 fleet - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times". Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
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