The Army’s New AbramsX Tank Is Armed with Drones

Just six months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, defense contractor General Dynamics introduced a new version of the iconic M1 Abrams tank. The tank, known as AbramsX, incorporated lessons from the ongoing war, specifically the importance of drones in modern conflict. Although just a mockup of an actual tank, AbramsX could form a starting point for a new, third generation of the longest-serving tank in American history.

AbramsX: The History and Backstory 

In October 2022 at the Association of the U.S. Army conference, General Dynamics unveiled a new version of the Abrams tank. Dubbed AbramsX, the tank reflected a quick pivot to lessons learned from the Russian invasion of Ukraine the previous February.

AbramsX was not a working, operational tank but was intended to take lessons from the ongoing war, particularly the rise of drones, and use it to keep tanks not only relevant, but dominant on the modern battlefield.

AbramsX differs from the current M1A2SEPv3 Abrams in several ways. One is the reduction in crew size, from four to three. Finally, a main gun autoloader mechanism has been incorporated, eliminating the human loader. The tank commander and gunner are repositioned into the tank’s hull, where they sit in a row alongside the driver.

The new arrangement allows the three crew members to sit side by side, increasing communication and the ability to share information. The arrangement also means the entire turret is completely unmanned. 

AbramsX Gets New, Modernized Weapons 

AbramsX totally revamps and modernizes the M1’s armament. The German-designed M256 120mm main gun is replaced with the newer, lighter XM360 120mm gun. The coaxial M240 7.62mm medium machine gun is deleted, since the loader position no longer exists, as is the M2 .50 caliber machine gun operated by the tank commander. In its place is a Kongsberg Protector R6 remote weapon system (RWS) armed with the XM914 30mm chain gun, a derivative of the AH-64 Apache’s nose-mounted gun system. 

The XM914 RWS is a welcome upgrade over the older M2 machine gun. The M2 was originally meant to engage anti-tank teams,  infantry, unarmored vehicles like trucks, and lightly armored vehicles like the BTR-70 armored personnel carrier. XM914 allows AbramsX to take advantage of recent advances in sensors, fire control, and fusing technology.

The result is the ability to engage targets at night and through smoke screens, shower ground troops in trenches with 30mm shrapnel, deliver accurate fire while the tank is on the move, and penetrate the armor of next-generation armored vehicles like the Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle. The XM914’s proximity rounds can also engage incoming drones, detonating once they enter the round’s explosive kill radius, turning what would otherwise be a miss into a hit. 

Drone Protection Arrives 

Speaking of drones, the Trophy active protection system is a second layer of protection against drones.

Trophy, designed by Israeli defense contractor Rafael, was originally designed to destroy incoming anti-tank rockets and missiles. It uses millimeter-wave radar to detect and track incoming threats to the tank. The technology is identical to that used by self-driving cars to detect their surroundings.

Once Trophy determines the projectile is on course to hit the tank, it fires a kinetic energy interceptor to knock it down. Rafael recently adapted the system to work against drones, shooting them down before they can drop shaped charges or conduct a kamikaze-style direct impact attack. 

AbramsX Could Be a Drone Mothership 

AbramsX not only plays defense against drones, it can also play drone offense. The tank is fitted with four Switchblade 300 loitering munitions, drones combat-proven in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Switchblade has a range of up to 6 miles or a flight time of 15 minutes, whichever comes first, and sends a live video feed back to the drone operator.

Switchblade drone. Image Credit: Company Handout.

If the operator locates a target, they can direct the drone to conduct a diving attack, using an explosive payload derived from the Javelin missile warhead.

This capability will allow AbramsX crews to conduct beyond line of sight attacks, hunting for enemy tanks and infantry and weakening the defense before launching a ground assault. 

Will the Army Go for It? 

AbramsX has not been officially adopted by the U.S. Army, but the window to adoption is there.

In 2023, the Army announced that the next minor update to the M1, the M1A2SEPv4, would be followed by the M1E3.

Each version of the M1 has been iterative, building on previous versions of the tank, incorporating new technology and capabilities. (The first “E” Abrams, the M1E1, was the first to feature the 120mm main gun instead of the original 105mm gun, and once type-classified became known as the M1A1.)

The “E”, according to the Army, “represents an engineering change to an existing platform that is more significant than a minor modification and serves to designate the prototype and development configuration until the vehicle is formally type classified and receives an ‘A’ designation.”

AbramsX. Image Credit: Screenshot.

In other words, right about the same level of changes AbramsX makes. 

However, the SEPv4 has been cancelled, and many experts are casting doubt on the overall future of tanks. 

Here Comes DOGE

AbramsX is an intriguing concept and a step in the right direction for the M1 series of main battle tanks. Whether or not it will eventually become the M1A3 Abrams remains to be seen.

The Trump Administration’s directive to implement dramatic spending cuts at the Pentagon would almost certainly affect Army ground forces and the effort to upgrade the Abrams tank.

The direction America’s next tank should take is clear, but America must prioritize it first.

AbramsX Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: Kyle Mizokami 

A 19FortyFive Contributing editor, Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national-security writer based in San Francisco. His work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Esquire, The National Interest, Car and Driver, Men’s Health, and many others. He is the founder and editor for the blogs Japan Security Watch, Asia Security Watch and War Is Boring.