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M1 upgrade to diesel engine


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Yeah, I was reading the comments underneath. Sounds like the logistics/cost of switching wouldn't be worth the benefit. Here's a sample:

Diesel switch not so simple

The decision to buy a turbine engine tank was a political decision. The Army had intended to select the GM version, which had a diesel engine. However, at the eleventh hour, The DepSecDef apparently ordered the Sec Army to reverse the decision and select the Chrysler version, which had the gas turbine engine. You may recall that, at the time, Chrysler was in serious financial difficulty. Indeed, it is arguable that had Chrysler not been able to later sell their tank unit to General Dynamics for $650 million, they might have

gone bankrupt.

As for converting the M1 to a diesel engine, not so fast. When the M1 was first fielded in the Germany, there were serious operability problems during the winter months due to diesel fuel waxing that plugged the turbine engine fuel filters. The Army's solution to the problem was to convert to the use of JP-8, which became available at the time due to efforts by the Air Force and Army aviation to eliminate JP-4. The Army now runs nearly all of it's TO&E equipment on JP-8.

That said, conversion to a diesel engine powered tank would, in my mind, suggest another fuel conversion as the diesel tank engine would certainly perform better running on diesel fuel. Thus the price of poker is not merely an engine replacement program, but also conversion of a major portion of the Army and Defense Logistics Agency's petroleum infrastructure/ war reserve fuel stocks as well. How many USMC spaces do you suggest we give up to pay for that?

Steve Bliss

BG, USA (Ret)

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A Stryker with tracks?? Riiiight.

I thought the point of a Stryker was it has WHEELS.

Or am I missing something?

You're missing the glorious tradition of moving goal posts with the Stryker program. It started as the C-130 air mobile division that could be brought in to any rough airstrip in the world. Based on that fantasy they ordered a full seven Brigade Combat Teams worth of equipment even before all the test results were in. Only then it was that they realized that even the lightest variant of the whole vehicle fleet with almost no ammo and fuel loaded could only be transported a mere 100 miles at sea level ... so the Pentagon simply declared that air mobility never was an important development goal - just like a teenage boy denying to his buddies that he was ever interested in that knock-out blonde who just gave him a brush-off.

Yeah, riiiight. :cul:

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From what I understand they have developed this diesel Abrams on their own in an attempt to sell it to the Army or someone else. I don't think a contract went out for this.

From the pic caption -

"General Dynamics unveiled a tracked version of its Stryker DVH vehicle at the AUSA 2012 exhibition as a potential contender for the US Army's AMPV requirement."

M113 replacement. Sparky's head would probably explode...

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From the pic caption -

"General Dynamics unveiled a tracked version of its Stryker DVH vehicle at the AUSA 2012 exhibition as a potential contender for the US Army's AMPV requirement."

M113 replacement. Sparky's head would probably explode...

Sooo, another box on tracks to replace a box on tracks?

Are these procurement types bored or something? :cul:

Why don't we mix it up a little and make it a box on wheels?

Oh wait, they've done that already and called it a "Truck/MRAP"

:biggrin:

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