Gulf Armor
How is the Abrams tank managing to get destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan?
During the Gulf War, when our M1A1′s faced off against Saddam’s Republic Guard, none of our Abrams tanks were destroyed while we managed to completely wipe out Saddam’s armored units consisting of T-72′s and T-80′s which were at the time considered powerful former Soviet tanks.
But in the Iraq war and invasion of Afghanistan, the M1A1′s are being destroyed by a bunch of half-asssed rag-tag guerrilla fighters with no sophisticated weaponry of any kind. How is this possible?
Blu: Well if what you’re saying is in fact true, then you answered my question. There was no need to be a dick about it though.
They weren’t destroyed. They were rendered mission incapable.
During Gulf War several were damaged by enemy fire. One was officially sent to repair depot, being the only one rendered “combat ineffective”. Wikipedia lists 21 damaged M1′s during Gulf War. Many were destroyed by US forces to prevent any Iraqi “trophy claims”.
In Iraq some where damaged by IEDs, ambushes, and urban close-quarter fighting where the tank got hit in tracks, sides, or rear at close range by RPGs and ATGMs. It prompted issue of refit kits known as TUSK (tank urban survival kit).
As the other guy said, M1′s were NOT sent to Afghanistan until recently, as terrain doesn’t call for it.
—
Kasey C, PC guru since Apple II days
Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.
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