Best tank?

[Jackal]

That is correct.US was working very hard to shove it up Pakistan's Army throat but thankfully we did not purchase them. (It would have caused severe problems to Strike Corps due to sanctions in 90's)

Even the UK thought about it at a short period of time too, back when Maggie was our PM and luckily we kindly told them where to put it, in a polite manner of course. We even considered the German Leopard then too, but the design of the Leopards turret put us off buying it believing it was a poor design, saying that, that was when the Leopards turret was completly different to the one we see today. Then of course the Challenger 1 was chosen, had a few bits wrong with it but very quickly soon mended just in time for the Gulf War where it performed second to none. Then of course came along the Chally 2 we have today although a lot has been done to it recently.

I'm a little surprised Pakistan didn't go for the Vickers Mark 3 MBT in the 80's, but of course I'm not quite up to date how the British & Pakistani governments got on in those days.

 

[Thomas]

Tons of countries use the Leopard 2, must be a testimony to its quality and power, but heard that it soon will be an obsolete tank, and that a new generation is being designed.
Good as 2nd hand purchase though both the netherland and germany have 100s of these in stock not being used as a remnant of the Cold war

The Germans have always been innovators in tanks and Submarines. And we can thank the British for one of the greatest innovations in tank warfare, Chobham Armour (composite).

 

[zraver]

Iraqi armour which wasn't up to standards to the likes of British & American tanks.

Still, that incident in 1988 was a bit embarrasing for the yanks, especialy when they were boasting its the best thing since sliced bread. But there you go.

Overall, the Abrams of then and today is an outdated design in itself, goes back a long way. Still overrated IMO & its quite amusing when they whop about saying, and I've personally heard this for myself(believe me or noy, won't matter); Ah yeah! An all American tank which has the best gear on it!"! Yes, a tank which is "all American" as President Obama is Japanese...

Lets see,

The good

world class fire control- yes (1)
good cross country ability- yes
large stock of spares- yes (1)
Hardest hitting gun/ammo combo- yes (1)
Modular design- yes
4 crew men (this is a good thing) - yes
best thermal system- yes (1)
good store of ammo- yes
well protected from likely threats- yes
hunter-killer- yes (1)
battle management- yes (1)
IVIS/IFF- yes
NBC protected- yes
quiet- yes (1)
easy to work on- yes

The bad-
gas guzzler
heavy
expensive

(1) indicates #1, that there is no tank out there able to to do it better. The M1A2SEPv2TUSK is quiet possibly the worlds best tank overall. The M256/M829A3 combo remains the hardest hitting tank weapons system. This has now been joined by the MRM-CE which lets the tank hit moving targets out to 12km with a top attack munition. Iraq has proven the tank can survive all but the very biggest EFP's and VBIED's. Its electronics, battle management, thermals and fire control system are second to none. It has 4 men to spread out the work load and is easily modified to fit the mission and threats it faces. Currently all the US really needs to do to the Abrams is add the drop in auto-loader (keeps the 4th man but reduces on board ammo to 22 rounds), get a more fuel efficient turbine engine (they are quiet) and add an APS. Except for the turbine, this is all commercially available and is basically plug and play technology.

At the end of the day a tank is judged by the following- could it get where it needed to go (mobility and protection) and kill what it needed to kill. In the case of the Abrams that answer is yes.

 

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Have to rank M1A2 TUSK the best just because of its unmatched protection against DU rounds also! Compared all the available Armour existing with all tanks and have to admit that M1A2 TUSK is the best! APFSDS-T M829A2, can penetrate the armor design of Kontakt-5, used on the T-80U and T-90S main battle tanks. The M829A3 is a further improvement, can penetrate newer Kaktus type ERA. 765mm penetration level.

M1A2 with APFSDS-T, M829A3 type, can penetrate any tank available on earth and we cannot penetrate M1A2 with protection levels of !

M1A2 Abrams SEP MBT - Estimated Armor Protection Levels (2002 - 2004)
M1A2 SEP
Against Kinetic Energy - Against Chemical Energy
(in mm of RHAe)

Turret
940 - 960
1,320 - 1,620
Glacis
560 - 590
510 - 1,050
Lower Front Hull
580 - 650
800 - 970

RHAe = Rolled Homogeneous Armor Equivalent; an equivalent RHA thickness of a given armor type against a given armor piercing ammunition or missile (i.e. Kinetic Energy penetrators, like APFSDS DU long-rod penetrators or Chemical Energy projectiles, like HEAT ammunition and ATGM's). Modern composite (Chobham) armor may be several times more efficient against Chemical Energy than RHA of the same thickness.

For M1A2 TUSK in addition to above configuration you have additionally Armor upgrades including reactive armor on the sides of the tank and slat armor (similar to that on the Stryker) on the rear to protect against rocket-propelled grenades and other shaped charge warheads.

This upgrade also includes reactive armor or explosive reactive armour (ERA), to be applied on the Abrams' side skirts, to lessen the damage from explosions caused from ATGMs warheads, exploding shells, grenades, or dropped bombs.

Lets compare all based on this for starters!