Future US Tanks....?

[Viper5]

There'll be 18 HBCTs, each with 28 tanks. So 504 in front line units. Tack on two active USMC Tank Battalions at 58 a piece , so 116, so 620 total. Then a third USMC reserve tank battalion, so another 58 to get to 678. Another 7 National Guard Reserve HBCTs, so 196 more to get to 874. Not entirely positive on the #s of USMC Tank Battalions. I know 1st MEF has 58 in its battalion, not sure on 2nd MEF and 4th MEF looks bigger. So 874 is a rough estimate of what will be there at the end of transformation.

[philnopatience]

I'm pretty sure that the U.S. Army won't be abandoning the MBT in the near future in favor of APC's... He might be talking about Stryker brigades, which don't have MBT's included iirc.

After watching a report on M1s they said that Tanks wont be ruled out for many many years to come, but they did consider a Stryker with the 105m cannon to replace but with all its armor upgrades its to bulky to be deployed quick and easy like they want, if it didnt have the armor upgrades it probly would get deployed easily but surviability is what they ulitmately want which the thine armor on a stryker would just be penetrated so easily. Anyway why give up tanks there a propaganda tool used in war, don't mess with me i gotta big gun. And with the Anti missle protection system installed on tanks they will be harder to kill.

According to Wikipedia the U.S. military still has some 6000 M1-type tanks in it's inventory, even though I don't know how many of those are actually used.

However, it would make sense for the military to reduce the amount of MBTs in favor of IFVs, considering that most of the fighting the U.S. is involved in is asymetrical in nature, where an MBT has not many appliances.

There is over 9000 M1s not 6000.

[KahunaSniper]

From Wiki about M1A1-A2 Replacements

The tracked M8 Armored Gun System was conceived as a possible supplement for the Abrams in U.S. service for low-intensity conflict in the early 90's. Prototypes were made but the program was canceled. The 8-wheeled M1128 Mobile Gun System was designed to supplement the Abrams in U.S. service for low-intensity conflict. It has been introduced into service and, though mobile, it has proven to be quite vulnerable.

The U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems' XM1202 Mounted Combat System was to replace the Abrams in U.S. service and was in development when funding for the program was cut from the DoD's budget.

The M1A3 Abrams is in the early design period with the U.S. Army. The Army aims to build prototypes by 2014 and to begin to field the first combat-ready M1A3s by 2017.

The U.S. Army's developing BCT Ground Combat Vehicle Program might permanently replace the M1 as well as many other U.S. army vehicles. However, the Army anticipates that the Abrams may remain in U.S. service until 2050.

Two links go off of the M1A3 article.

Here: Army looking into lighter Abrams tank - Army News, news from Iraq, - Army Times
New Army tank could mean changes for M1A1 fleet - MarineCorpsTimes.com

Hope it helps a bit.