We already have hybrid tanks powered by electric motors. They only come a hundred years after the first

In recent decades, US military technology has not advanced at the same rate across all of its war machines. The country boasts, for example, of new hypersonic missiles, laser cannons, fifth-generation fighters and even a huge aircraft carrier that has required decades of development. Nevertheless, in the field of tanks it hadn’t driven too many innovations, at least until now.

General Dynamics, a well-known American defense contractor, has presented a prototype of what they call “the most advanced tank since the Cold War”. We are talking about the AbramsX, an armored vehicle that incorporates, among other improvements, an automatic turret, a threat detection system powered by artificial intelligence and a hybrid engine, although the latter is not completely new.

The great novelty of the AbramsX is not so new

One of the great novelties of the next tank of the United States forces is its hybrid engine. A feature that allows it to work with both its electric battery and its combustion engine. This gives the vehicle greater stealth capabilities and more efficiency. According to General Dynamics, it manages to lower fuel consumption by 50% compared to the M1 Abrams dating from the 1980s.

These advantages can undoubtedly be highly valued on the battlefield, but General Dynamics was not the first company to introduce a hybrid engine in a tank. This achievement belongs to Peugeot and its heavy armored vehicle cBuilt in 1917 in the context of the First World War. Although, it should be noted, that the hybrid system of this “primitive” tank was different from that of the AbramsX.

Peugeot presented its hybrid tank in a contest launched by the French Army to add larger vehicles. The French company’s proposal included a 100-horsepower gasoline engine that acted as a generator to power the electric motors that powered the wheels. That is, the combustion engine had no mechanical drive with the wheels.

that innovation, according to TekDeeps, allowed Peugeot to avoid having to design a transmission system, something that can be very complex in a vehicle with sprockets. Also, prevented possible malfunctions, which translated into a significant advantage on the battlefield. Although surprising, this type of propulsion system is currently used in several makes of cars.

It is the series hybrids, such as the Nissan Qashqai e-Power. This car, like the Peugeot tank, circulates in completely electric mode, but using a gasoline engine that plays the role of generator. Despite this feature, the French company’s proposal did not win the competition and lost to Renault, which had focused on improving the weapons system instead of the propulsion system.

In relation to the AbramsX, as mentioned above, it incorporates an unmanned turret with an active protection system that can shoot down rockets and missiles. This is controlled from inside the tank and has an automatic loading system. It also has a 120-millimeter XM360 main cannon and a coaxial machine gun, among other weapons-level improvements that have not been fully detailed.

Artificial intelligence is also an important part of this fighting machine. According to the US company, the AI ​​system can identify targets on the battlefield thanks to two independent scanners. This information reaches the commander and gunners to make the best strategic decision.

The AbramsX appears to integrate many of the features that might be expected in an armored fighting vehicle in the 21st century. However, it is not yet clear if the United States Army will adopt them. for now, the tank is a prototypea technological demonstration, although the manufacturer is confident that it will sell hundreds of units that could provide service for the next 30 years.

Images: General Dynamics | French