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United States Legacy General Dynamics Land Systems
M1A1 Abrams
The definitive Cold War-era Abrams standard, replacing the original 105 mm gun with a licensed 120 mm Rheinmetall smoothbore and adding NBC protection. Thousands remain in U.S. Marine Corps and allied service or storage, and it forms the base for many export upgrade programs.
In service since 1985 · 6 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
67
km/h
465
km range
24.4
hp/t
120
mm gun
63,100
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 6 operators
In service since 1985. Status: legacy · ~4,796 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the M1A1 Abrams can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The M1A1 Abrams's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 67 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 465 km |
| Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility. | 24.4 hp/t |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 1,655 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 120 mm M256 smoothbore cannon |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | .50 cal M2 + 2x 7.62 mm M240 machine guns |
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 120 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 40 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Composite armor with depleted-uranium mesh inserts |
|---|---|
| Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets. | No |
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | smoke grenade launchers |
| NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments. | Yes |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 9.83 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 3.66 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 2.44 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 63,100 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 4 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,500 hp |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 1,900 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Gas turbine |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | thermal imaging sight |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 4,796 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 6 |
Specifications compiled from public General Dynamics Land Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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ZTZ-99A Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams has a maximum speed of 67 km/h.
What is the range of the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams has a maximum range of 465 km.
How much does the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams weigh? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams has a combat weight of 63,100 kg.
How many crew does the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams require? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams requires a crew of 4.
What is the main armament of the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams's primary weapon is the 120 mm M256 smoothbore cannon.
What engine does the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams use? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams is powered by the Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine.
What is the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams used for? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.
How many countries operate the General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems M1A1 Abrams is operated by 6 countries.
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