Download or read book Critical Technology Events in the Development of the Abrams Tank written by Richard Chait and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-07-05 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The urge to remain militarily strong has long been a driver of technological advancement. This interplay between strength and technology, so evident in America's global military reach, has for decades prompted U.S. defense planners to engage in technology forecasting. Analysis of emerging technologies was, and is, vital to making wise defense investments. Among the preeminent examples of such analysis are the studies undertaken by Theodore von Karman just after the Second World War. The von Karman reports represent an exhaustive review of science and technology related to the military services. His analysis projected the importance of unmanned aircraft, advanced jet propulsion, allweather sensors, and target seeking missiles. While it is important to assess the needs and challenges of the future, understanding past military technological successes can be equally important to defense science and technology (S&T) investment and management. To complement the above efforts and the many other technology forecasts too numerous to mention, this study is the first in a series that will examine some of the key factors that have led to meaningful technology generation and ultimate incorporation into the U.S. weapons systems we see in the field today. Included here are such factors as where the technical work was performed, funding source(s) for the effort, collaboration between government and non-government laboratories, and management style. This series of studies will focus only on Army weapons systems, beginning with the mainstay of the Army's armor force, the Abrams tank. Analysis of other Army systems, such as the Apache helicopter and the Javelin and Stinger missiles, will follow. The results of all studies will be compiled in a wrap-up report that will focus on the implications of the findings for today's S&T environment. We begin the paper by briefly reviewing a project that served as a source of inspiration for this study: Project Hindsight, a 1969 Defense Department (DOD) report. Hindsight was an in-depth study sponsored by the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) that provided some insights into the development of approximately 20 weapons systems across the DOD spectrum. Following the review of Hindsight, we present a short history of U.S. battle tanks as well as a summary of events leading up to the Army decision to replace the M60 Patton tank with the Abrams tank. This is followed by a description of the methodology used to gather key data on the development of the Abrams. The information is broken out by topic area (armament related subjects; armor and other survivability related subjects; engine and drive system; vetronics, C4ISR and fire control) and presented in terms of critical technology events (CTEs). CTEs are ideas, concepts, models, and analyses, including key technical and managerial decisions that have had a major impact on the development of a specific weapons system. CTEs can occur at any point in the system's life cycle, from basic research, to advanced development, to testing and evaluation, to product improvements. The final portion of the paper presents the concluding remarks and findings based on the CTEs that characterize the Abrams tank's development. The CTEs are noted in the left margin throughout the report. They are summarized in Appendix B. CTEs are numbered only for ease of reference; there is no hierarchical or chronological significance to their order. While the link between high-tech weapons systems and battlefield success is often readily apparent, the geneses of and processes associated with CTEs often are not. CTEs depend on several important factors, including effective management, adequate funding, establishment of clear priorities, fostering of proper technical competencies, and leveraging of the resources of the private sector and academia.

Download or read book Critical Technology Events in the Development of the Abrams Tank written by Richard Chait and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Critical Technology Events in the Development of the Apache Helicopter Project Hindsight Revisited written by Richard Chait and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-06-26 with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding past military technological successes is crucial to defense science and technology investment and management. This study is the second in a series that examines some of the key factors that have led to meaningful technology generation and ultimate incorporation into the U.S. Army weapons systems we see in the field today. The first report covered the development of the Abrams tank.1 Analysis of the development of the Javelin and Stinger missiles will follow. The results of all studies will be compiled in a wrap-up report that will include a look at the implications of the findings for today's science and technology environment.

Download or read book Critical Technology Events in the Development of the Stinger and Javelin Missile Systems Project Hindsight Revisited written by John Lyons and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2012-06-26 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper seeks to identify the Critical Technology Events (CTEs) in the development of the Stinger and the Javelin missiles. It is the third paper in a series that, driven by the importance of understanding past military technological successes to today's defense science and technology (S&T) investment and management, examines some of the key factors that have led to meaningful technology generation and ultimate incorporation into current U.S. Army weapons systems. The first paper in the series focused on the Abrams tank.1 The second focused on the Apache helicopter.2 With studies of a complex ground system and a complex air system complete, this paper turns to two technologically advanced infantry weapons, the Stinger and the Javelin. These armaments have different roles in the arsenal, but they are both man-portable, fire-and-forget missiles whose development posed some unique challenges. A fourth and final paper in the series will summarize findings of this report, and the reports on the Abrams and the Apache, and offer recommendations for managing the Army's S&T portfolio.

Download or read book The TARDEC Story written by Jean M. Dasch and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2013-12-11 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Full of illustrations and photographs, this publication is a comprehensive history of the many innovations in tanks and other military ground vehicles and equipment developed by the engineers at TARDEC, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center. TARDEC was formed in 1946 as an outgrowth of the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant built during World War II. During the early years, emphasis was placed on evolving new technologies to improve military ground vehicles, culminating in the development of the M1 Abrams tank. Since then, TARDEC has grown to be a key center for advanced technologies for military ground vehicles and equipment. Recent years have brought an explosion of technology development and integration, from hybrid engines to fuel cells, from analytical simulation to enormous physical simulators, and from small robots to entire unmanned vehicles.

Download or read book Technological Innovation written by Laurier Schramm and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2017-12-18 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book provides a basic introduction on innovation technology in research and industry, mainly chemical/ technical industry and therefore bridges the gap between academic and corporate markets. The different innovation stages are discussed and tools presented how to successfully apply this knowledge within a research organization.

Download or read book The Role and Limitations of Technology in U S Counterinsurgency Warfare written by RICHARD W. RUBRIGHT and published by Potomac Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-02-01 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although the United States plays a leading role in the development of technology, particularly that used by militaries around the world, the U.S. military nonetheless continues to find itself struggling against lower-tech foes that conduct warfare on a different scale. Emerging technology is indeed available and is regularly employed in American counterinsurgency efforts; however, since it is also constantly in flux, strategies for its use must continually evolve to ensure that available resources are put to best use against disparate enemies. Counterinsurgency operations are inherently political conflicts, and in The Role and Limitations of Technology in U.S. Counterinsurgency Warfare, Richard W. Rubright addresses the limits of constraints of technology in enhancing American military capability. Analyzing the confines and self-imposed restrictions on the use of technology as well as current military doctrine, he develops a new rubric for guiding the military in modern warfare. Drawing on textual analysis, personal interviews with international military professionals, and firsthand experience on the ground in Iraq, this book is the first to address the role of technology in counterinsurgency operations within operational, tactical, and strategic contexts.

Download or read book Innovations in Defence Support Systems 1 written by Anthony Finn and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-07-17 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Innovations in the area of Defence Support Systems are multi-disciplinary, cover a broad range of technologies, and could not possibly be covered within a single volume. This research book presents a sample of research as below: • On the Transition of Innovation and Technology in Defence • Inserting Innovations In-service • Classification of Battlefield Ground Vehicles based on the Acoustic Emissions • Convoy Movement Problem – An Optimization Perspective • Machine Vision Algorithms for Autonomous Aerial Refueling for UAVs using the USAF Refueling Boom Method • Motion Optimization Scheme for Cooperative Mobile Robots • An Automated Decision System for Landmine Detection and Classification The book is directed to the application engineers, research students, professors, decision makers and scientists & engineers working in defence and related areas.

Download or read book NATO and Warsaw Pact Tanks of the Cold War written by Michael Green and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-06-30 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Led by the USA with Western European partners, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 to counter the Soviet threat. In response the Soviet Union assembled and dominated the Warsaw Pact in 1954. The mainstay of both alliances’ groundforces were their main battle tanks (MBTs). Initially both sides relied on Second World War MBTs; in NATO’s case the Sherman medium tank and its successor the M26 Pershing together with the British Centurion and the heavy Conqueror. The Soviets originally fielded the T-34-85 medium tank and the IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tank replaced by the T-10. Next came the T-54 followed by the T-55 and 155mm armed T-63 (1965). The final WP Cold War MBTs were the T-64, T-72 and T-80 all with 122mm main armament. By contrast, NATO nations increasingly deployed a range of MBTs; the widely used American Patton series (M46 through M48), British Chieftain (1963) and Challenger (1982), French AMX-13 (1950) and AMX-30. From 1963 the Bundeswehr was equipped with the homegrown Leopard 1 and 2. The US M60 series and M1 Abrams came into service from 1980. These and more MBTs and variants are covered in expert detail in this superbly illustrated book.

Download or read book Abrams Tanks written by John Hamilton and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2011-08-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Readers will almost feel the ground rumble beneath their feet when they open this action-packed book about the fearsome Abrams tank! They will learn the history of the tank and its different versions, as well as tank specifications including size and weight, top speed, armament, and cost. Also described are the roles of Abrams tank crewmembers--the commander, the gunner, the loader, and the driver. Weapons and camouflage are discussed, as well as the future of the Abrams tank. Easy-to-read text, interesting facts and quotes, and oversized, full-color photographs draw in reluctant readers, leaving them with a deeper understanding of this mighty military vehicle. Features include a table of contents, a glossary, and an index. A&D Xtreme is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Download or read book M1 Abrams written by David Doyle and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2019-06-30 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A photographic history of the principal main battle tank of the modern US military. Conceived to counter the threat of a massive Soviet armored incursion in Europe, the M1 Abrams tank gained considerable fame during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and its combat record has continued to climb. With such a long service life, the Abrams has undergone continual improvements and upgrades, which are illustrated in great detail in this volume. The unique features of the various models are detailed in stunning color photos, and the combat use of these fearsome vehicles is richly illustrated through previously unpublished photos. The story of the Abrams begins in the late 1960s when the threat of Soviet Armor developments forced the U.S. to look for a suitable replacement for the M60 series. A joint venture between the U.S. and West Germany to build a suitable common Main Battle Tank brought about the unorthodox and terribly expensive MBT70. It never saw series production. When this program was cancelled in 1970, a quest for a more cost-effective tank was begun. The constant development, upgrade, and conversion of the series have kept the Abrams at the forefront of main battle tank technology—and it has proven itself on the battlefield time and time again. This book, filled with rare archival photos, takes us through decades of its remarkable history, including improvements to its armor, transmission, and engine; the addition of an integrated nuclear, biological, and chemical system; the installation of a layer of depleted uranium and interior blast doors to protect the crew, and more.

Download or read book M1 Abrams Tank written by Michael Green and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-10-30 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This pictorial history of the legendary M1 Abrams Tank illustrates its versatility and advancement from the Cold War Era to the present day. The M1 Abrams has proved itself to be the finest main battle tank in the world since its introduction into US Army service in 1981. It combines the ultimate balance between firepower, mobility and protection as demonstrated by its superior performance during the two Gulf Wars and in Afghanistan. It routed the Soviet equipment of Saddam Hussein's army and today remains the yardstick by which friends' and foes' MBTs are judged. As military expert Michael Green demonstrates in this illustrated history, the M1’s versatility, and its continual modernization of weaponry armor and engineering, guarantees that it will remain the US Army's spearpoint for years to come. With its comprehensive collection of images and authoritative text, this volume is an ideal resource for information on M1 Abrams Tank design and combat operations.

Download or read book M1 Abrams written by Christian DeJohn and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 2018 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Since the 1980s, the American M1 Abrams series of tanks has been widely regarded as among the finest main battle tanks in the world. This volume is a concise look at the background, development, and Army and Marine operational history of the Abrams from the 1970s to the present. The author, who brings a unique perspective and authority as a former M1A1 tank gunner with the United States Army's 1/104th Cavalry, was granted behind-the-scenes access to photograph the US Army's collection of rare tanks at Fort Benning, Georgia. He also shows the Abrams tank's service in lesser known places--not just Iraq and Afghanistan--such as Cold War Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somalia, and others. Part of the Legends of Warfare series." --Publisher description.

Download or read book M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank written by Michael Green and published by Motorbooks. This book was released on 1992 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book M1 Abrams written by David Grummitt and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-11-30 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of the iconic vehicle: “This modeler's delight showcases the M1 and its variations with all sorts of camouflage schemes.” —Historical Miniatures Gaming Society Since its introduction in 1981, at the height of the Cold War, the Abrams main battle tank has been one of the most visible symbols of American military power, and it is the fascinating subject of this heavily illustrated historical and modeling guide in the TankCraft series by David Grummitt. Designed to meet head-on the massed tank forces of the Warsaw Pact, its combat debut actually came in a different scenario in 1991, during the First Gulf War. Since then it has served in a peacekeeping role in the former Yugoslavia and seen combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. It has gone through a series of modifications and modernizations that see it set to remain the backbone of the US Army until at least 2050. As well as charting the development and combat history of the vehicle, this book is illustrated throughout with color photos and specially commissioned color profiles. Five different models, covering the service history of the Abrams, are featured, as is a modeler’s guide to the existing kits and accessories in the all the popular scales.

Download or read book M1 Abrams written by Houston Cutter and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-11-09 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The M1 Abrams is an American third-generation main battle tank produced by the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of U.S. military forces in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. Highly mobile, designed for modern armored ground warfare, the M1 is well armed and heavily armored. Notable features include the use of a powerful multifuel turbine engine, the adoption of sophisticated composite armor, and separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment for crew safety. Weighing nearly 68 short tons, it is one of the heaviest main battle tanks in service.

Download or read book Facing Uncertainty written by U. S. Military and published by . This book was released on 2017-01-27 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The future of the M1 Abrams tank is uncertain. With current fiscal constraints and the requirement for expeditionary maneuver, the U.S. Army is under pressure to demonstrate the need for its main battle tank. The purpose of this study is to inform the future role of the M1 Abrams tank by analyzing hybrid threat trends, understanding U.S. Army force structure challenges, and determining the relevancy of combined arms maneuver in the future operating environment. The study analyzes the Israeli Defense Force and its employment of the Merkava tank during Operation Cast Lead and Operation Protective Edge to develop insights and lessons learned. Drawing from these lessons, the study argues that the capabilities of the main battle tank are more critical and relevant in a hybrid environment than was seen in the past thirteen years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study concludes that the role of the M1 Abrams tank in the U.S. Army of 2015-2025 is to provide a mobile and survivable precision firepower platform to execute effective combined arms operations against a sophisticated hybrid threat with anti-tank guided missile capabilities in order to seize and hold terrain, mass discretionary fires, and destroy the enemy threat. ACRONYMS * CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION * Hybrid Threat * U.S. Army Force Structure * CAM * M1 Abrams Tank * Problem Statement * IDF and the Merkava Main Battle Tank * 2006 Lebanon War * Operations Cast Lead and Protective Edge * IDF Merkava Main Battle Tank * Research Questions, Assumptions, Scope, and Limitations * Conclusion * CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW: M1 ABRAMS TANK * Arguments for the M1 Abrams Tank * Arguments against the M1 Abrams Tank * Conclusion * CHAPTER 3 - LITERATURE REVIEW: SECOND LEBANON WAR * Conclusion * CHAPTER 4 - METHODOLOGY * Operational Assessment and Insights * IDF Merkava Main Battle Tank * CHAPTER 5 - OPERATION CAST LEAD * Hybrid Threat * Terrain * Hamas * Force Structure * Combined Arms Maneuver * Ground Campaign * Main Battle Tank * Operational Assessment and Insights * Conclusion * CHAPTER 6 - OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE * Hybrid Threat * Force Structure * Combined Arms Maneuver * Ground Campaign * Main Battle Tank * Modernization * Merkava Utilization and Performance * Operational Assessment and Insights * Conclusion The chapters are organized to analyze the role of the main battle tank in the proper analytic context established at the beginning of the chapter. Chapter 2 provides a literature review of the current debates arguing for and against the M1 Abrams tank in the U.S. Army force structure. Chapter 3 presents a detailed overview of the 2006 Lebanon War to provide context for the IDF's ensuing conflicts in the Gaza Strip. Chapter 4 describes the methodology by which the case studies are analyzed and presents hypotheses to inform the problem statement. Chapters 5 and 6 analyze Operation Cast Lead and Operation Protective Edge and provide an in-depth look at Hamas preparation and tactics, IDF force structure, execution of CAM, and the tactical role of the Merkava tank. At the end of each case study, the chapters provide an overall assessment of the operation and present lessons learned for the U.S. Army. The final chapter of the study offers insights and recommendations for the U.S. Army and submits several areas for further research.