M1 Abrams

Domestic and international developments risk undermining Ukraine in a critical year

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

International attention, partially diverted by the war in Gaza, appears to be waning.

Key Points: 
  • International attention, partially diverted by the war in Gaza, appears to be waning.
  • Furthermore, domestic politics within Ukraine are threatening to undermine its war aims.

Russian morale

  • First, the Russian economy, while on a war footing, is not as strong as it appears.
  • The growth in the Russian economy shocked most analysts, but it was primarily due to armament production.
  • The precise effect of these casualties on Russian morale is debatable.
  • The Russian army has been relying on non-Russian minorities to fight the war, a policy that appears to be an effort to maintain Putin’s popularity among Russian nationalists.

The need for smarter aid

  • International aid was substantial early on as several states rushed to support Ukraine.
  • This aid provided both material necessities and a significant morale boost.
  • In the long term, however, the aid has proven problematic.

Justifying the expense of sending aid

  • In some ways, it actually proves detrimental, as it causes soldiers to turn away from areas and techniques that led to success.
  • The ongoing debates in the United States congress over providing aid to Ukraine partly reflect this issue.
  • Rather, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of the aid provided so far to Ukraine.
  • Its importance is such that it’s influencing Ukrainian domestic politics, as Zaluzhnyi’s critical assessments on Ukraine’s needs finally provoked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into action.

Domestic shakeups

  • This included replacing the popular Zaluzhnyi with Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who previously served as commander of the Ukrainian ground forces.
  • Replacing Zaluzhnyi at such a critical juncture in the war signals to Ukraine’s allies that the war isn’t going well.
  • The question now is if the unity of message was worth losing a valuable wartime general.


James Horncastle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Allison Transmission Awarded $83.3 Million Contract to Support U.S. Army Abrams Tank Modernization and Tank Production for Abrams User Nations

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 18, 2024

Key Points: 
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240118522676/en/
    Allison Transmission will deliver upgraded and new X1100 cross-drive transmissions throughout 2024 to meet performance demands of the Abrams tank.
  • (Photo: Business Wire)
    “Allison is proud to be part of the world’s premier main battle tank supporting the U.S. Army and our close partners.
  • Allison will deliver upgraded and new transmissions to meet performance demands of the Abrams tank.
  • The Abrams tank has seen numerous upgrades and enhancements that provide the crew with the world’s most capable tank.

SUBARU OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2023 AMERICAN NATIONAL TECHNICIAN COMPETITION

Retrieved on: 
Friday, October 20, 2023

CAMDEN, N.J., Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced James Pedicone, Senior Master Service Technician at Chilson Subaru in Eau Claire, WI as the winner of the 2023 American National Technician Competition (ANTC). The Subaru ANTC is a biennial event honoring Subaru technicians nationwide by showcasing their troubleshooting abilities, product knowledge, technical expertise, and hands-on skills.

Key Points: 
  • Eau Claire, WI technician recognized for service excellence to represent the U.S. at the Subaru World Technical Competition in Japan
    CAMDEN, N.J., Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced James Pedicone, Senior Master Service Technician at Chilson Subaru in Eau Claire, WI as the winner of the 2023 American National Technician Competition (ANTC).
  • The Subaru ANTC is a biennial event honoring Subaru technicians nationwide by showcasing their troubleshooting abilities, product knowledge, technical expertise, and hands-on skills.
  • "Subaru of America is proud to honor and recognize the best Subaru retailer technicians in the country.
  • We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes on a world level at the Subaru International Technician Competition next year in Tokyo, Japan."

Loc Performance Committed to Growth in Lapeer

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 19, 2023

PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Loc Performance announced a significant expansion at its facility in Lapeer, Michigan.

Key Points: 
  • PLYMOUTH, Mich., July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Loc Performance announced a significant expansion at its facility in Lapeer, Michigan.
  • "The whole Loc Lapeer team worked together to make this exciting opportunity happen for our facility," said David Atkinson, plant manager at Loc Lapeer.
  • At full capacity, the new equipment will increase the Loc Lapeer 5-axis production machining by 20%.
  • "This expanded business with Raytheon at our Lapeer facility broadens the support Loc offers the Department of Defense," said Jeff Hanson, vice president of manufacturing at Loc Performance.

The US will send depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine – a health physicist explains their military, health and environmental effects

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 16, 2023

The Biden administration has agreed to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to equip M1A1 Abrams tanks that the U.S. is sending there.

Key Points: 
  • The Biden administration has agreed to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to equip M1A1 Abrams tanks that the U.S. is sending there.
  • Health physicist Kathryn Higley explains what depleted uranium is and what’s known about potential health and environmental risks.

What is depleted uranium?

    • Depleted uranium is mainly U-238, with small amounts of other isotopes, including U-235.
    • The isotope U-235 is fissile, which means that it can be split in a reaction that releases a lot of energy.
    • Engineers use a process called enrichment to extract U-235 from natural uranium ore. What’s left over after this process removes some of the U-235 is called depleted uranium.
    • Depleted uranium is about 40% less radioactive than natural uranium.

Why is depleted uranium used in munitions?

    • Depleted uranium can be manufactured into a very dense material – about 1.7 times more dense than lead.
    • Because DU is a byproduct of the nuclear fuel cycle, plenty of it is readily available.
    • Formed into a projectile, such as a bullet or shell, its high density helps the munition penetrate into a target.

Where have depleted uranium munitions been used?

    • Depleted uranium munitions have been used in the Gulf War in 1990-1991, the Kosovo conflict in the Balkans in 1998-1999 and in U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
    • In addition to the U.S. and the U.K., Russia, France and China are known to have DU munitions in their arsenals, and other countries may be importing them.
    • The alpha radiation that DU emits is not strong enough to penetrate human skin, so just being near depleted uranium is not a health risk.
    • But it may become a health hazard if it is ingested or inhaled, or shrapnel fragments are retained in the body.

Will these munitions create health or environmental risks on Ukrainian soil?

    • They include health studies of soldiers hit by DU shrapnel, and biomonitoring – collecting samples of urine, feces, fingernail clippings and hair from exposed individuals.
    • Fragments and much smaller particles from exploded DU munitions can remain in soil long after conflicts end.
    • Scientists continue to examine how DU particles behave in the environment, in order to improve our ability to predict long-term environmental effects.
    • The U.S. and U.K. governments clearly believe that providing DU munitions will improve Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russian tanks and bring this conflict to an end.

Global Top 7 Armored Vehicle OEMs Analysis Report 2023: Land Systems, Led by the Iron Triangle of MBTs, IFVs & Artillery Guns/SPHs, are Back in the Reckoning, Especially in Central & Eastern Europe

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 8, 2023

The report analyzes & provides comprehensive insights into the Global Top 7 Armored Vehicle OEMs with focus on a blend of quantitative & qualitative analysis.

Key Points: 
  • The report analyzes & provides comprehensive insights into the Global Top 7 Armored Vehicle OEMs with focus on a blend of quantitative & qualitative analysis.
  • The report provides detailed analysis on the OEMs, including, comprehensive analysis of business portfolio and strategic market positioning, overall strategy focus, key strategies & plans for medium term, financial analysis and a detailed SWOT analysis for each OEM against the backdrop of emerging, rapid shifts in the geopolitical dynamics, equations & landscape and technological leapfrogging.
  • The focus has been on the modernization & replacement of legacy, Cold war-era systems with latest, next-gen systems incorporating cutting-edge technologies & capabilities providing effective capabilities overmatch against Russian systems & armor.
  • Across the English Channel, the first lot of upgraded French Leclercs, featuring an all digital backbone & enhanced protection, have just been delivered to the French Army in late 2022 with another batch due in 2023.

Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers Annual Strategy Dossier 2023: Key Strategies, Plans, SWOT, Trends & Growth Avenues and Market Outlook - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 29, 2023

The "Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers - Annual Strategy Dossier - 2023 - Key Strategies, Plans, SWOT, Trends & Growth Avenues and Market Outlook - GDLS & GDELS, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, Rheinmetall, KNDS, Iveco Defense, Hanwha Defense" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers - Annual Strategy Dossier - 2023 - Key Strategies, Plans, SWOT, Trends & Growth Avenues and Market Outlook - GDLS & GDELS, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, Rheinmetall, KNDS, Iveco Defense, Hanwha Defense" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • The report analyzes & provides comprehensive insights into the Global Top 7 Armored Vehicle OEMs with focus on a blend of quantitative & qualitative analysis.
  • The focus has been on the modernization & replacement of legacy, Cold war-era systems with latest, next-gen systems incorporating cutting-edge technologies & capabilities providing effective capabilities overmatch against Russian systems & armor.
  • The Cold-war era British Challenger 2 MBTs are already headed for another series of capabilities upgrade, in addition, to procurement of Boxer wheeled & Ajax tracked armored vehicles as part of fleet recapitalization plans of the British Army.

Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers Report 2023-2027: Comparative SWOT & Strategy Focus of GDLS & GDELS, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, Rheinmetall, KNDS, Iveco Defense, Hanwha Defense - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The "Comparative SWOT & Strategy Focus - 2023-2027 - Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers - GDLS & GDELS, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, Rheinmetall, KNDS, Iveco Defense, Hanwha Defense" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "Comparative SWOT & Strategy Focus - 2023-2027 - Global Top 7 Armored Vehicles Manufacturers - GDLS & GDELS, BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, Rheinmetall, KNDS, Iveco Defense, Hanwha Defense" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • The report analyzes & provides comprehensive insights into the Global Top 7 Armored Vehicle OEMs with focus on a blend of quantitative & qualitative analysis.
  • The focus has been on the modernization & replacement of legacy, Cold war-era systems with latest, next-gen systems incorporating cutting-edge technologies & capabilities providing effective capabilities overmatch against Russian systems & armor.
  • The Cold-war era British Challenger 2 MBTs are already headed for another series of capabilities upgrade, in addition, to procurement of Boxer wheeled & Ajax tracked armored vehicles as part of fleet recapitalization plans of the British Army.

Allison Transmission Awarded a $51 Million Contract to Support Abrams Tank Production for the U.S. Army and Internationally

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Allison is proud to support the U.S. Army and our global customers today and for decades to come, said Dana Pittard, Vice President for Defense Programs, Allison Transmission.

Key Points: 
  • Allison is proud to support the U.S. Army and our global customers today and for decades to come, said Dana Pittard, Vice President for Defense Programs, Allison Transmission.
  • Deliveries and technical support under this contract will begin in January 2023 and continue through March 2024.
  • The Abrams tank, introduced in the early 1980s, has been the subject of continuous capability improvements throughout its service life.
  • The future is very exciting as Allison will have a new defense production program launch every year for the next several years.

Leonardo DRS Receives Contract Award for US Army 3rd Generation FLIR Sensors

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 5, 2022

Leonardo DRS (DRS) announced today that it has received a contract award from the U.S. Army to provide advanced infrared sensors for the next-generation sighting systems.

Key Points: 
  • Leonardo DRS (DRS) announced today that it has received a contract award from the U.S. Army to provide advanced infrared sensors for the next-generation sighting systems.
  • These sensors will replace the current Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI), 2nd Generation Sensors for high-value platforms across the US Army fleet, including the Abrams Main Battle Tank, and the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle.
  • Under the contract, awarded on August 23, 2022, DRS will develop and produce Low-Rate Initial Production of the 3GEN Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) Dewar Cooler Bench (DCB) long-range sensor.
  • The US Army chose DRS as the only provider for this key technology capability.