The M1 Garand was made in large numbers during World War II; approximately 5.4 million were made. [31] They were used by every branch of the United States military. The rifle generally performed well. General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised." [16] The typical opponent of a US soldier during World War II was usually armed with a slower-firing bolt-action rifle (e.g. the Karabiner 98k for Germany, the Carcano M1891 for Italy, and the Type 38 or Type 99 Arisaka rifle for Japan). The impact of faster-firing infantry small arms in general soon stimulated both Allied and Axis forces to greatly increase their issue of semi- and fully automatic firearms then in production, as well as to develop new types of infantry firearms. [32] Through the 1960s the US Army and Bundeswehr had collaborated on a single design that would replace both the M60 tank and the Leopard 1. The overall goal was to have a single new design with improved firepower to handle new Soviet tanks like the T-62, while providing improved protection against the T-62's new 115mm smoothbore gun and especially high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. [11] [ failed verification] Polish Defence Ministry confirms plan to buy M1 Abrams tanks". 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Controversial Tank Project suspended by Defense Department". Tucson Daily Citizen. UPI. 9 September 1969. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021 . Retrieved 13 November 2021. Behler, Robert (January 2021). "Director, Operational Test and Evaluation FY 2020 Annual Report" (PDF).

M1074 Joint Assault Bridge ( JAB): Bridgelayer combining a heavy "scissor" bridge with the M1 Abrams chassis. Expected to reach low-rate initial production in 2019 to replace the M60 AVLB and M104 Wolverine. [194] Iraq – Iraqi Army: 321 M1A1Ms [209] [210] Iraq was leasing 22 U.S. Army M1A1s for training in 2008. [150] [209] [211] [212] The first 11 tanks were delivered to the Iraqi Army in August 2010 [213] with all deliveries completed by August 2011. [214] In October 2012, it was reported that six more tanks were being delivered. [215] Zaloga wrote that four battalions of the 9th Armoured Division were equipped with M1s by 2014: 1st and 2nd of the 34th Brigade, and 4th and 5th of the 35th Brigade. [216]The Army's M1 Tank: Has It Lived Up To Expectations?". Project On Government Oversight. 1 January 1990 . Retrieved 1 September 2023. Laser warning goes modular". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018 . Retrieved 23 July 2018.

Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter. Vol.30. Asia-Pacific Defence Publications. 2004. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023 . Retrieved 2 April 2011. M1A2 SEPv4 (formerly M1A2D, canceled): The 2-12 Cavalry Regiment received the first M1A2 SEPv4 tank as of 21January2023 [update]. [167] It was previously under development as of 29March2022 [update]. [168] The Commander's Primary Sight, also known as the Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer, and Gunner's Primary Sight will be upgraded with third Gen FLIR, an improved laser rangefinder and color cameras. Additional improvements will include advanced meteorological sensors, laser warning/detection receivers, directional smoke grenade launchers and integration of the new XM1147 advanced multi-purpose [ sv] (AMP) 120mm tank round. [169] [170] [171] [172] The AN/VVR-4 laser warning receiver and ROSY rapid obscurant system have been trialed by the US Army for adoption on the Abrams tank and Bradley fighting vehicle. [173] [174] [175] The M1A2 SEPv4 variant was officially canceled by the U.S. Army on 6 September 2023. The Army plans to develop a new variant of the Abrams, designated M1E3, to enter service in the 2030s. [176] The M1A1 could kill other tanks at ranges in excess of 8,200 feet (2,500m). This range was crucial in combat against previous generation tanks of Soviet design in Desert Storm, as the effective range of the main gun in the Soviet/Iraqi tanks was less than 6,600 feet (2,000m). This meant Abrams tanks could hit Iraqi tanks before the enemy got in range—a decisive advantage in this kind of combat. In friendly fire incidents, the front armor and fore side turret armor survived direct APFSDS hits from other M1A1s. This was not the case for the side armor of the hull and the rear armor of the turret, as both areas were penetrated on at least two occasions by unintentional strikes by depleted uranium ammunition during the Battle of Norfolk. [45] A destroyed M1A1, hit in the rear grill by a Hellfire missile and penetrated by a sabot tank round from the left side to right (see exit hole) in Operation Desert Storm, 1991 The M1 Abrams was developed from the failed MBT-70 project that intended to replace the obsolete M60 tank. There are three main operational Abrams versions, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, with each new iteration seeing improvements in armament, protection, and electronics. [10]a b Foss, Christopher F., ed. (1994). "Armoured Recovery Vehicles". Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics 1994–95 (15thed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p.53. ISBN 0-7106-1162-5. M1A2T: Special configuration variant of the M1A2 SEPv3 reportedly being offered for sale to Taiwan as of March 2019 and approved by US State Department as of July 2019. [162] Per DSCA statement, it is roughly equivalent to M1A2 SEPv3, except depleted uranium armor is replaced by FMS export armor. There is no mention of the Trophy APS system. The new-built tanks will be produced at Anniston Army Depot, Anniston, Alabama, and the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, Lima, Ohio. [163] [164]