Which modern tank is better? The British Challenger 2 or the American Abraham M1A2?
I just happened to watch a special on modern tanks today. It looked to me that the Challenger 2 and the M1A2 were about the same. The M1A2 is much faster by about 10-15 miles per hour. A face off between the 2 would barely favor the American tank. Mainly just do to the speed. Otherwise they are basically even.
A french tank the LeClerc was pretty impressive. However I dont think I could trust and automated loading system. Im not in the military or am i a tank driver. I just see alot of problems with this idea.
The best tank out there has to be the German Leopold 2 tank. Might be a bit impractical in an all out war because of all the addons it has. This thing is incredibal. If it is properly maintained and the maintenice crew is with it…its ready for just about anything. Damn Germans must eat engineering schematics for breakfast. 
i am not sure about this, but i heard the British tank has less horspower than the US M1A2
Yes the M1A2 does have more horsepower. Hence the faster speed. Twin Turbine engines!!! Dont remember the figures right off hand.
Maybe a Good idea. I say we take the M1A2, Challenger 2, LeClerc and the Leopold 2 out in Kansas(Coz there isnt anything out there anyhow 
) and have a good tank battle.
Also they didnt meantion the Russian T-90 tank(I believe this is the main Russian battle tank). I know nothing about this. Extremely disappionted it was not mentioned in the show i watched. Please update if you know anything about it.
The American tank has 1500hp, and the British one has 1200hp. Cross country max speed is only different by 8 km per hour w/ the M1A2 being faster. Max speed is different by 12km per hour w/ M1A2 being faster. Armament is exactly the same. Challenger 2 has a greater max range by about 40km. I think they are about the same.
The chanllenger 2E seems much better than the Challenger 2. W/ 1500hp it still mantains same speed however it is optimized for the harshest enviroment, with better survivabillity.
Id have to say the Leopard 2 is the much better than the ones above. Its an amazing tank
i think those horsepower is an important issue, but if the engine are requried to repaired frequently, then its not a good thing. i guess a good tank is depend on its engine’s quality
but how can a tank design to withstand a nuclear missile attack, can be take down by just a anti-tank rocket?
(i dont mean to hyjack your topic, please continue the thread starter’s topic)
maybe hes saying that it can withstand radiation?? I dont know.
Does anyone have any pics of Modern tanks??? There are quite a few of the American Abrams and British Challenger on the site. Any others. Ive mentioned a few tanks from France and Germany above. Any pics of modern tanks from countries around the world would be cool.
the South African Olifant:
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/olifant/
Im currently making a topic about the current South African Military, hope to gather loads of info and put it up maybe in a week or less.
i know american tank has the edge on horsepower, about 300 hp more
The Chally has far better armour than the M1 - it is THE best tank in the world. There is no known tank or anti tank weapon in the world that can take one out - apparently the one that got hit in Iraq had a hatch open and the round went through that. Speed’s not that important anymore because the gun sighting is all automatic - the gunner just has to tell the tank what to shoot and the computer does the rest, aiming off automatically for wind and target speed. Going faster just means you’re in range quicker.
I was of the impression the Chally had a slightly higher range on the main armament, meaning that we would get a cheap shot in before the adversarie even gets to fire, though Im unsure where I have herad this and may not be correct etc…
Sounds about right mate - the only modern MBT in the world (apart from the Indian one) to use a rifled barrel - that must give some kind of range advantage?
Glotting a bit are we. Are you refering to the M1, M1A1 or the M1A2? And im assuming that Chally = Challenger 2 Coz i would have to same that the M1A2 and the Challenger 2 are about the same with a slight advantage to the American tank. Info on both
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/abrams/
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/challenger2/
Insofar as your one tank being destroyed. The Abrams series have seem far more combat than the 2 and 2E. Also the German Leopold 2 tank is probably the best in the world. However has not been battle tested much.
To say speed in not important is a very nieve statment other wise i think you would see the modern battlefield litered with P1000 Ratte Landcruiser’s. :lol: You cant fire at something you cant see…so if me ass takes cover before you punch in my position on your computer(same with abrams) you cant hit me. Meanwhile my friend in his tank could already have you targeted.
And dont give me that crap about there is nothing in the world that can penetrate its armor. Take a look at the “What hit this tank” topic! Its still unknown what hit that tank but i can garantee whatever it was can penetrate a Challenger or just about any MBT.
Some more MBT’s
ARIETE MAIN BATTLE TANK, ITALY
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/ariete/
K1/A1 MAIN BATTLE TANK, SOUTH KOREA
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/k1/
LECLERC MAIN BATTLE TANK, FRANCE
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/leclerc/
LEOPARD 2 MAIN BATTLE TANK, GERMANY
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/leopard/
MERKAVA 4 MAIN BATTLE TANK, ISRAEL
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/merkava4/
OLIFANT MK 1B MAIN BATTLE TANK, SOUTH AFRICA
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/olifant/
T-90S MAIN BATTLE TANK, RUSSIA
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/t90/
So there are some other good ones out there. 
Challenger’s armour is far better than Abrams - we haven’t told America how to make the Chobbham armour that the Chally has - the version you have is inferior to ours.
Obviously speed is important to a tank, but is not AS important as it was - you would have to be driving a very fast tank to get behind something inpenetrable in the couple of seconds a computer will take to track the target. Abrams isn’t that much faster than Challenger though - 45mph road speed compared to 37mph for the Chally.
Abrams has seen more combat than the Challenger 2, but Chally has deployed to a fair few warzones itself and as far as I am aware, only one has ever been destroyed (by one of its mates when a round went through an open hatch). I seem to remember an Abrams being taken out with an RPG in Baghdad city centre during the invasion, and I saw a couple being taken down the motorways in Iraq to get repaired (mobility hits with RPG from what I could make out as I drove past the convoys).
Like I said, I would take the battle proven, virtually invulnerable Challenger 2 over the equally battle proven, not quite as invulnerable, bigger target (six inches wider and four feet longer, but with ab out 2 inches less height) that is the M1 Abrams.
Actually no Abrams tank has been taken out by another tank as of yet. They have been disabled by RPG’s. A Challenger 2 has been taken out by another tank…and guess what that was. Another Challenger 2 tank. See we arent the only one’s that make mistakes. Im assuming this it the tank you are refering to. Also your Chobham armor is simliar to the American armor. You might be refering to the Dorchester armor which is your new upgrade. This has not been shared with the Americans as far as i know.
Anyhow you might want to check out these 3 sites.
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/M1-Abrams
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Challenger-2
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Chobham-armour
And while your there you might want to check out some of the stuff on the German Leopold tank. Which I “feel” is superior to both. Yet to really be battle tested which IMO is a must to “make” it superior.
GS,
Great photo of the T-90.
Yea I know that T-90 is haulin ass as we like to say in the states.
Here is a pic(s) of a new Russian tank called the T-95 Blackeagle that looks pretty mean. Just learned about this one.
Those of you who read Soldier magazine may remember an article a few months back about the best tanks in the world that put the Jap mitsibushi as the world’s best tank, any thoughts?