Soldiers up their game with new battle tanks

The Abrams M1A2 delivers everything a tank crew could want, according to soldiers recently qualified on Army’s newest tank.

CAPTION: Australian Army Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 main battle tanks during a live-fire serial as part of a qualification course for Royal Australian Armoured Corps soldiers at Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria. Story and photos by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

“It’s a fantastic vehicle,” the School of Armour’s Lance Corporal Brock Lister said.

“It’s easier to operate, easier to fire, the armour is enhanced and it’s more mobile than the M1A1.”

Lance Corporal Lister was part of the first conversion course held at Puckapunyal in October and November.

About 130 soldiers and officers learned the ins and outs of the new battle tank before the first of 75 M1A2s begin to enter service early next year with 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

The first M1A2s arrived in August.

The majority of Army’s new tanks will operate from Townsville to support 3rd Brigade’s armoured combat capability.

For crew commander Captain Anthony Holland, the inclusion of the commander’s independent thermal viewer meant his crew could now find and engage targets as quickly as they could reload.

The thermal sight operates independently of the main gun and allows the commander to search for and designate targets so the turret automatically switches between engagements.

Captain Holland recently transferred from the Royal Armoured Corps and said the M1A2 was comparable to the British Army’s Challenger 2.

“The M1A2 is the capability we need if we want to survive in the field,” he said.

While the chassis remains the same as the older model, digital screens and components replaced analogue switches.

As well as upgraded sights, the M1A2 also features a fully remote weapons system for .50 calibre heavy machine guns or automatic grenade launchers.

Soldiers can operate the weapon and rectify stoppages from inside the tank.

A stabilised mount and digital fire control system provides increased accuracy.

The acquisition program’s senior soldier armoured vehicle Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Bernie Maus said the enhancements were like going from Windows 98 to the latest operating system.

“After a short burst, crews can hit targets at 2500 metres every time,” WO1 Maus said.

“Everyone is pumped about the capability, especially with those new sensor targeting systems – it’s certainly going to allow the soldiers to up their game.”

2nd Cavalry Regiment will raise a second squadron of 18 tanks next year.

Townsville-based combat engineers will also receive assault breacher and joint-assault bridge armoured vehicles under the project to acquire the M1A2.

These combat engineering vehicles are based on the Abrams chassis and allow engineers to clear obstacles such as minefields or bridge a creek or river.

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