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M1A1 Abrams - Upgrades

M1A1 Abrams Tank Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP)

The M1A1 Abrams Tank Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP), a Marine Corps Systems Command initiative, is intended to increase the all weather, day and night target acquisition and engagement ranges and provide a far target location capability for the M1A1 Tank. The FEP system will include a scope of work that entails a suite of upgrades for the M1A1 Tank. These upgrades include a second-generation thermal sight and a north finding/target locating capability. The system will increase the tank crew's ability to detect, recognize, identify and accurately locate targets.

In the Fall of 2004, Marine Corps Systems Command signed the Milestone C Decision for full rate production of the M1A1 Tank Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP). Installed on the M1A1 Tank, the FEP will bring the MAGTF all weather, thermal, day or night, rapid and accurate target engagement capability. Additionally, it will couple extended engagement ranges with a new Far Target Locate (FTL) function. Overall, the FEP greatly increases tank lethality and extends the Marine Corps overmatch of current and expected threat systems beyond 2018.

The Firepower Enhancement Program is a suite of upgrades for the M1A1 tank that will be installed on all 403 existing platforms. The system includes a second-generation thermal sight, the Far Target Locate capability, and an eye-safe laser rangefinder. The second-generation thermal sight consists of upgrades to the M1A1's infrared optics, an infrared focal plane array, associated analog and digital electronics, display, and brackets and cables. The FTL consists of a North Finding Module (NFM), bracket, cables and inputs from the existing laser rangefinder, and a Precision Lightweight Global Positioning Receiver (PLGR). The FTL formulates a targeting solution using inputs from the laser rangefinder, the PLGR and the NFM. The eye-safe laser rangefinder will replace the current non-eye-safe rangefinder.

The FTL was initially unique to the Marine Corps, providing tank crews with accurate target location out to 8,000m with less than 35m Circular Error Probable (CEP). Milestone C ultimately releases $121.5 million in procurement to begin full rate production, followed by install and Initial Operating Capability in FY '06. All 403 systems were fielded and installed for Fully Operational Capability by end FY '09.

Abrams Integrated Management (AIM)

The Abrams Integrated Management (AIM) program is completely rebuilding every M1A1 Abrams tank in U.S. Army Europe over a three year perios. The AIM program is a part of the Recapitalization Program that was established to extend the life of the Army's aging legacy equipment. AIM will provide long-term sustainment of M1A1 Abrams tanks through fiscal year 2025. Higher-than- normal mileage for the tanks during operations in the Balkans and training in Germany made the overhaul necessary. The Military Traffic Management Command's (MTMC's) 838th Transportation Battalion at Rotterdam, The Netherlands, received the first tanks for shipment to the United States in September 2000. Up to 75 percent of the tanks were not operational. MTMC transported the tanks to Anniston Army Depot, Alabama, where they are be disassembled. The hull, turret, engine, and other parts are sent to the tank production plant in Lima, Ohio, to be reworked. MTMC returns the rebuilt tanks to Europe, where they will be swapped one-for-one with tanks that still need repair. The first shipment of rebuilt tanks arrived in Europe by fall 2001.

MARCORSYSCOM Upgrades

Marine Corps Systems Command is modernizing the tank commander’s weapon station on the M1A1 tank by developing a suite of systems that give tank commanders and their gunners a hunter-killer edge over their enemies. The new Abrams Integrated Display and Targeting System, Tank Commander Single Handle and slew-to-cue capability make up the modernized trifecta that cuts time to enemy engagement by half while increasing accuracy, range and lethality on the battlefield.

Responding to feedback from Marines, the Abrams Integrated Display and Targeting System, or AIDATS, upgrades the thermal and day sights on the stabilized commander’s weapon station through a state-of-the-art, high-definition camera and permanently mounted color display. “The most significant benefit—the main reason why AIDATS was started—is the color display,” said Michael Kreiner, AIDATS project officer in MCSC’s Armor and Fire Support Systems. “Users didn’t like the black and white camera that was in the tank before, because they have a hard time distinguishing between different color trucks.”

In battle, situational awareness is key for tank commanders. Kreiner and his team are leveraging technology currently available in the marketplace to provide a thermal sight that can be used around the clock and provide a color day camera with a color display. “The thermal sight can be used for 24 hours,” said James Shaffer, systems engineer in AFSS. “It has low light capabilities, can see through obscurants, and works in the diverse environments under adverse weather conditions.” The display for both upgraded thermal and day sights will be hard mounted in front of the tank commander, allowing him to minimize extra movement and focus on the action. Better optics enable commanders to increase identification and detection range while in the tank, which will improve situational awareness.

With AIDATS, tank commanders will have double the identification range with thermal sight and triple the identification range for the day sight, said Gunnery Sgt. Dennis Downes, M1A1 project officer in AFSS. “AIDATS also has an azimuth indicator that will allow the tank commander to identify where his weapon is in relation to the vehicle at that moment,” said Downes. “On the legacy system, the tank commander had no situational awareness of where the weapon system is in relationship to the turret.”

In addition to providing tankers better line of sight, the AFSS team is improving tank handling for the commander. “There’s currently one set of controls for the stabilized commander’s weapon station and another set of controls to operate the turret,” Downes said. “Combining the two handles into one gives the commander a better workspace.” Reducing the number of handles the tank commander controls increases the overall efficiency of the system, leading to faster engagement times, he said.

The third upgrade to the tank commander’s weapon station has yet to be officially named, but the AFSS team currently refers to it as “slew-to-cue.” This new capability enables the tank commander to move the turret, typically controlled by the gunner, over to a target with the push of a button. “With slew-to-cue, the tank commander can push a button on his single handle and, as long as the gunner has his handles engaged, the turret will automatically slew to what the commander is looking at on the 0.50-cal machine gun sight,” said Kreiner. This additional capability allows the commander to assist the gunner when the tank is moving, making it easier to manipulate the turret toward a target, said Shaffer.

Preliminary tests show the three systems used together reduce target engagement time from six seconds to three seconds. The team hoped to field all three systems simultaneously in the first quarter of 2018.