First they wooed us with the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank clad in the TUSK reactive armor kits. Now, they’re whispering sweet sonnets in our ears with the M1A2 SEP V2. Fresh off of news that they’re modelling a 1:64 scale Abrams comes news that the manufacturer plans to produce five different 1:72 scale takes on the US Army’s latest main battle tank, or at least until the M1E3/M1A3 rolls out.
Expected in the April/May time frame, the newest M1 rendition features the upgraded System Enhancement Package (SEP), which is a series of critical, incremental upgrades designed to improve the lethality, survivability, and networking capabilities of the U.S. Army’s main battle tank. The current SEPv3 (Version 3) and future SEPv4 variants focus on power generation, advanced armor, enhanced sensors like 3GEN FLIR, and ammunition datalinks for better combat effectiveness. Nice, right? The best part is that the price hasn’t changed from the previous iteration, despite being produced in China. Enjoy your new sweethearts!
Takeaway: Its hard not to love the Abrams main battle tank. Four decades after it first rolled onto the battlefield, the Abrams continues to soldier on, despite numerous challenges that can render the tank obsolete and almost meaningless before it can even take up a firing position. Fortunately, upgrades to the basic vehicle are underway in the form of the M1E3/M1A3, which will hopefully restore the vehicle to its prominence on the battlefield. For now, the V2 SEP variant will have to do and hence Panzerkampf’s decision to model this iteration instead of its next-generation counterpart.
It’s interesting to see how the Abrams tank continues to evolve with incremental upgrades, like the SEPv3 and SEPv4. I wonder how much of an impact these changes will have on the tank’s performance on the battlefield, especially with the advanced sensors and data links. The price staying the same despite these upgrades is definitely noteworthy.