USMC Armor Question....

[USMCMIDN]

Did the USMC M1A1 Abrams upgrade to TUSK or anything similar that will upgrade their current armor like the US Army did?

Also will the USMC LAV 3 upgrade their armor as well with TUSK or anything similar?

Please source!

[[R-DEV]Eddie Baker]

USMC upgraded their tanks to M1A1 AIM standard, which includes a couple of TUSK elements; the tank/infantry phone and a thermal sight for the commander that is mounted coaxially to his M2 AAMG.

The USMC operates the first generation 8-wheeled LAV, not LAV-III. The LAV-A2 upgrade package improved armor and power on the LAV-25s, and the commander has a protection kit around his cupola. The Marines had considered purchasing new turrets with "saddlebag" TOW launchers to replace the LAV-AT, which are pretty much left behind when deploying these days, but they never got funding.

[USMCMIDN]

Thats what I thought, so the USMC Abrams did not get extra armor? ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) or anything like that?

[SkaterCrush]

Originally Posted by USMCMIDN

Thats what I thought, so the USMC Abrams did not get extra armor? ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) or anything like that?

No ERA is not really practical for urban environments and for patrolling with soldiers because the ERA makes a counter explosion which could harm buildings, civilians and fellow soldiers.

[USMCMIDN]

so there is no additional armor? Like extra armor on the rear and sides of the tank?

and

in the US Army TUSK kit the extra armor is only ERA or what? I was under the impression that extra armor was added on the Tanks along with the ERA.

[SkaterCrush]

I think they have ceramic tiles or something to make rocket warheads explode before they penetrate the armour, which makes them virtually harmless, but besides the extra armour on the ventilation in the back, nothing.

[[R-DEV]DankE_SPB]

Originally Posted by SkaterCrush

No ERA is not really practical for urban environments and for patrolling with soldiers because the ERA makes a counter explosion which could harm buildings, civilians and fellow soldiers.

source? i doubt 10x10cm plate with a bit explosives under it will produce more shrapnel than the hitting round itself

[USMCMIDN]

Originally Posted by SkaterCrush

I think they have ceramic tiles or something to make rocket warheads explode before they penetrate the armour, which makes them virtually harmless, but besides the extra armour on the ventilation in the back, nothing.

that is called ERA or explosive reactive armor and I thought they had this too but according to other people's replies; they say it will hurt marines/soldiers around the tank.

So can we confirm that the USMC not the US Army armor, has this upgraded armor?

Sources plz!!!

[Liquid_Cow]

According to Tankopoly.com

TUSK - Tank Urban Survival Kit for M1A2

The Tank Urban Survival Kit, or TUSK, is a series of improvements to the M1 Abrams intended to improve fighting ability in urban environments. Historically, urban and other close battlefields have been the worst place for tanks to fight—a tank's front armor is much stronger than that on the sides, top, or rear, and in an urban environment, attacks can come from any direction, and attackers can get close enough to reliably hit weak points in the tank's armor, or get sufficient elevation to hit the top armor square on.

Armor upgrades for Abrams M1 A2 include 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.

Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and long rod penetrators. The most common type is explosive reactive armour (ERA), but variants include self-limiting explosive reactive armour (SLERA), non-energetic reactive armour (NERA), non-explosive reactive armour (NxRA), and electric reactive armour. Unlike ERA and SLERA, NERA and NxRA modules can withstand multiple hits, but a second hit in exactly the same location will still penetrate.


A gun shield and a thermal sight system are added to the loader's top-mounted M240B 7.62 mm machine gun, and a Kongsberg Gruppen Remote Weapon Turret carrying a .50 caliber machine gun (again similar to that used on the Stryker) is in place of the tank commander's original .50 caliber machine gun mount, wherein the commander had to expose himself to fire the weapon manually. An exterior telephone allows supporting infantry to communicate with the tank commander.


The TUSK system is a field-installable kit that allows tanks to be upgraded without needing to be recalled to a maintenance depot.


While the reactive armor may not be needed in most situations in maneuver warfare, items like the rear slat armor, loader's gun shield, infantry phone (which has already seen use on Marine Corps Abrams M1A1s as early as 2003), and Kongsberg Remote Weapons Station for the .50 caliber machine gun will be added to the entire M1A2 fleet over time.

In addition to this, a Transparent Armor Gun Shield may also be implemented.

I could not find specifics on USMC variants of the TUSK, will continue to research.

[USMCMIDN]

Yeah this is what I found, theres like nothing on the M1A1 Abrams... If the USMC didn't get to upgrade there tanks armor in any way im going to be very disapointed. Although traditionaly the marines get all the fun new toys after the US Army is done with them, I am begining to think this is the case...