You Abrams fanboys really need to look beyond 30yr old obsolete Iraqi junk
that hasn't been serviced since 1991 for your comparisons.

True. It would be amazing to see a Leopard 2A6 face off against the
current M-1A2 upgrade. Of course the new German L55 main gun with DM
53 ammo would pick it right off IMO. The Germans have a range of
studies and prototypes being tested for their future MBT. Among those
are the DB wheeled 8x8 50 ton tank, the EGS demonstrator built with
Merkava-type architecture but more advanced German techology (stealth,
EM armor, anti-helo/aircraft missiles, mine detection and destruction
equipment, protection from top-attack missiles, engine up front with
the exhaust cold-filtered below the vehicle, and reduced crew to 3 men
and probably the 140mm main gun tested on the Leopard 2), the RakJpz
Panther crane-tank, and small purely autonomous killing robotic AFVs.

And you might look to what is actually IN service for your
comparisons. Face it. Russian tanks are junk.

Not so. Both the Ukraine and Russia are working on newer, deadlier
MBTs that have weapon systems and defensives aids that have no Western
equivalent like dazzlers, Arena defense system, active armor,
anti-helo missiles, 152mm main gun that can also fire ATGWs, higher-hp
gas turbines,etc... but still keeping the weight down to 45-50 tons,
crew of 3, autoloader. Check out their T-80UM-2, Ukrainian T-84
upgrades, T-95, and Black Eagle. They definately have the technology
but lack funding. Besides, try fighting Russia on their territory with
the M-1. I don't care if the people had Molotov cocktails alone- they
would beat US the same way they beat Germany. An elephant can kill
thousands of tiny ants with its bulk but eventually the ants will
swarm over the elephant and strip it alive. So far the M-1 is good at
attacking puny Third World nations with rusting import FSU MBT's
manned by conscript soldiers that live like animals. Some
comparison...






The same report that got this thread started had the T-80 and T-90 as
WAY down the list. IIRC it went something like

Leopard II A6
M1A2
Merkava IV
Challanger II
South Korean Type 88 K1A1 "mini M-1"
Japanese Type 90

*then* the two Russian (or Russian/Ukraine) tanks. Come to think of
it, even the LeClerc might be ahead of them.


(BTW is someone has a link to that report I'd appreciate it. I can't
seem to find it)

No, the order was:

Leopard 2A6EX
M1A2
Type 90
Merkava 4
Challenger 2
LeClerc

From Forecast Internation report 2002/3.

Rob