The 1st August 1963 the North American and German governments signed an agreement

for the joint development of a tank called MBT-70. Each country formed its own work
team and quickly they began to work on the new tank, being completed the first
prototypes in 1967. The MBT-70 had many notably advanced characteristics, among
them a crew of three men (commander, gunner and driver) who were all of them
accommodated in the turret, being this possible thanks to the installation of an
automatic loader for the main weapon. The suspension could be adjusted in
accordance to the tactical situation and the 1500-horsepower engine provided a top
speed of 71 kilometers/hour. The standard equipment comprised an NBC (Nuclear-
Biological-Chemical) warfare system, lights for night vision and a snorkel for deep
fording. The prototypes were armed with a 152-millimeter cannon/launcher for the
MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank missile, a 20-millimeter anti-aircraft cannon and a co-
axial 7.62-millimeter machine gun, besides smoke launchers at each side of the
turret.[p]
Then, the development program began to have problems, not only because of the rise
in the cost of the tank, but also because Americans and Germans did not agree
regarding the main armament. While the former wanted the 152-millimeter
cannon/launcher and their Shillelagh anti-tank missile, the latter preferred a 120-
millimeter cannon. Eventually, in January 1970 the whole program was cancelled and
the Germans continued with the development of their Leopard 2 main battle tank. The
Americans gave then a push to the MBT-70, renamed Austere XM803, but in the late
1971 the Congress eventually cancelled the project.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_miscellanea/mbt-70_main_battle_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/
tanks_miscellanea/mbt-70_main_battle_tank.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]The MBT-70 prototype developed during the 1960s.[/fs][p]
[fl][b]Development program of the M-1[/b][/fl][p]
The Army insisted in having a tank for the incoming 1980s and thus a new group of
specifications was ellaborated. In January 1973 the United States Secretary of
Defense approved the document for the development concept, and so the contacts with
the industry of defense began. The 28th June 1973 contracts were awarded to two
private companies which had expertise in the design and construction of tanks: the
Chrysler Corporation (which had started this activity shortly before the Second
World War, with the M3 medium tank, and was then producing the M60 series) and the
Detroit Diesel Allison Division of the General Motors Corporation (which had built
the prototypes for the MBT-70/XM803 program). These companies had to create
prototypes for a program denominated XM-1.[p]
Both companies presented proposals for tanks weighing around 50 tonnes, with
suspension of torsion bar type, armed with the M68 105-millimeter cannon and the
Bushmaster 25-millimeter chain cannon as co-axial weapon. General Motors proposed a
tank propelled by one or two Diesel engines, whereas Chrysler left open the choice
of engine, indicating that it could be either a Diesel engine or a gas turbine,
despite this latter was not liked. But both proposals showed something clearly:
that it was not possible to obtain the desired protection levels within the limit
of the initially specified weight.[p]
Meanwhile, the engineers of the Tank Command of the United States Army were working
to solve this problem. In March 1973 it was clear that laminated and spaced
composite armor, placed on the proper angle, offered the best possibilities. Even
so, it would be necessary to increase the total weight of the tank. It became clear
as well that the original cost limit per unit would have to be revised upward, from
400,000 to 500,000 dollars. This was favorably compared with the estimated cost of
611,000 dollars per unit of the cancelled XM803. The contracts for Chrysler and
General Motors were awarded at 69 and 87.9 millions of dollars, respectively, which
should cover the cost plus the profits of the development, manufacture and trials
of the prototypes.[p]
When both companies completed their projects, a great surprise arose. Despite the
Tank Operation Group of the United States Army having shown firm opposition to the
utilization of a gas turbine, the chief of the Chrysler project team, doctor Philip
Lett, chose this engine. He adduced as justification the higher power, the smaller
size, the lesser power loss, the lesser noise levels, the absence of smoke and the
easier start up at low temperatures. He had to prove his decision, but the Avco
Lycoming AG-1500 gave as result a very good engine. Albeit it was more expensive to
produce than the AVCR-1360 variable-compression Diesel engine specified by General
Motors, which was an improved version of that offered for the M60A3 and the M60AX
private project, the gas turbine would demonstrate that it was less expensive to
maintain. In fact, there was very little difference of costs between both engines,
considering the expected service life of each.[p]
Other factors that affected the two prototypes were the availability of Chobham
armor (newly developed in United Kingdom) and the decision of removing the
Bushmaster cannon from the specification, as a consequence of a later analysis of
the combats of the Arab-Israeli War of 1973. The Bushmaster had been initially
specified due to its capability of destroying lightly armored vehicles, but it was
seen that in practice the crews invariably resorted to the main cannon to destroy
such targets. Besides, the removal of the Bushmaster would grant additional space
for storing the ammunition of the main cannon.[p]
The two prototypes, along with test wheel ensembles, were delivered to the Aberdeen
Proving Ground in the late 1975. Starting February 1976 they were submitted for
trials which would last until the 7th May, performing both tanks in accordance with
the specifications. At this point, a third competitor appeared: a version of the
Leopard 2, armed with a 105-millimeter cannon and modified to comply with the
American specifications. The German tank would be tested in equal conditions
against the American prototypes, despite its much higher price. In fact, it was the
price what threw the Leopard 2 away from the competition, for this tank complied
more than enough with the specifications.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_germany/leopard_2_av_main_battle_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/
tanks_germany/leopard_2_av_main_battle_tank.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]The Leopard 2 "Austere Version" which competed against the American prototypes.
[/fs][p]
The choice between the two XM-1 prototypes was made in July, but kept secret for
the time being. It was leaked, however, that General Motors had won the contest
with an offer valued at 208 millions of dollars, against one of 221 millons offered
by Chrysler, for producing 110 tanks in 1979 and another 352 in 1980. At this time,
the Army had decided to adopt the turbine engine, but installed in the General
Motors tank, so it proposed to simply change the engines without passing again
through a complex selection process. But the Secretary of Defense would not allow
this.[p]
But there was also another complication. It had been anticipated that in the future
it would be necessary to install a more powerful main cannon, which would require
to redesign the turret. Hence, the decision of awarding the initial contract was
delayed until November 1976. Meanwhile, both competitors took advantage of the
opportunity and presented projects again fitted with both engine types. The 12th
November it was announced that the offer presented by Chrysler, of 196 millions of
dollars, had been selected against that of 232 millions presented by General
Motors. The price of Chrysler's offer had been greatly increased due to the higher
installation cost of the turbine engine, but Chrysler had been able to limit these
costs through better calculations, and hence his model would be put into serial
production.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_united_states/chrysler_xm-
1_main_battle_tank_prototype_01.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/tanks_united_states/
chrysler_xm-1_main_battle_tank_prototype_01.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]Chrysler XM-1 prototype armed with the M68 105-millimeter cannon, 1976.[/fs][p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_united_states/chrysler_xm-
1_main_battle_tank_prototype_02.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/tanks_united_states/
chrysler_xm-1_main_battle_tank_prototype_02.jpg[/aimg96][p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_united_states/chrysler_xm-
1_main_battle_tank_prototype_03.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/tanks_united_states/
chrysler_xm-1_main_battle_tank_prototype_03.jpg[/aimg96][p]
The first preseries exemplar left the factory in February 1978. The Lima Army
Modification Center started in 1979 the construction of the first 110 series
exemplars, being delivered the first two tanks to the Army the 28th February 1980.
The initial number of series exemplars was estimated to be 3312, with a cost of
4900 millions of dollars. After ten years of development and 400 millions of
dollars (of 1972), the United States Army was to receive its first third-generation
main battle tank. The new tank received its name after General Creighton Abrams, a
former chief of armored units who later became chief of the Army's High Staff.[p]
Two years later the Detroit Tank Arsenal, close to complete the production of the
M60, prepared its production lines for the M-1, while Chrysler sold its tank
manufacturing division to the General Dynamics Corporation, leaving behind a
business in which the company had been very influential during 40 years. The order
from the Army reached 7251 exemplars to be delivered before the end of the 1980s,
and the production, initially of 30 exemplars per month, was increased to 60 in
1982 and reached 70 in the late 1983.[p]
[fl][b]Characteristics of the Chrysler M-1[/b][/fl][p]
The first units were armed with the M68 105-millimeter 51-caliber cannon (American
version of the British Vickers L7 produced uncer licence), like the M60A1, but this
was just a temporary weapon until a decision were taken about a new main weapon.
The alternatives were the German 120-millimeter smoothbore cannon or the British
rifled cannon of the same caliber. To make things further complicated the M-1 would
take elements from the German tank, specially developed for United States under a
memorandum signed in 1974. The hull and the turret of the M-1 were built with the
new Chobham armor developed by the British, and which allegedly protected against
both projectiles and missiles. The crew comprised four men accommodated following a
conventional layout: the driver in the fore part of the hull and the other crew
members in the turret, with the gunner and the commander in the right part and the
loader in the left part.[p]
Besides the 105-millimeter cannon, the M-1 had a 7.62-millimeter co-axial machine
gun, a 12.7-millimeter anti-aircraft machine gun installed in the commander's
cupola and another 7.62-millimeter machine gun installed in the loader's hatch. The
tank carried fifty-five 105-millimeter projectiles, a thousand of 12.7-millimeter
cartridges and 11400 7.62-millimeter cartridges. The cannon was stabilized in two
axes, allowing to fire it with success while the tank was on movement. The gunner
would select a target, then use the laser rangefinder to determine the distance and
finally press the firing button; at the same time, the ballistic calculator would
carry out the operations and adjustments required to ensure a direct hit.[p]
[aimg96]high_res/tanks_united_states/chrysler_m-
1_main_battle_tank.jpg[*aimg96]low_res/tanks_united_states/chrysler_m-
1_main_battle_tank.jpg[/aimg96][br]
[fs]M-1 series tanks effectuating fire with their M68 105-millimeter 51-caliber
cannon, American version of the British Vickers L7.[/fs][p]
Fuel tanks were separated from the combat compartment by armored bulkheads as well
as the largest part of ammunition, which could be accessed through sliding doors
and was covered by soft safety panels on the upper part. The suspension was one of
torsion bar type made of titanium and steel, with rotatory shock absorbers which
allow a vertical movement of 38 centimeters. The M-1 could move cross country at a
speed of 48 kilometers/hour and accelerate from 0 to 32 kilometers/hour in six
seconds, becoming so a difficult target in the battlefield. Propulsion was granted
by an AGT-1500 1500-horsepower turbine developed by Avco Lycoming which could be
fed with gasoline, Diesel fuel or kerosene; for this, the driver just had to change
a selector in his control panel.[p]
According to the manufacturers, the engine would not require a full revision before
the tank had traveled 19000 or 20000 kilometers, which was a notable progress in
relation to other existent engines. In counterpart, the fuel consumption was very
high, about 450 liters per 100 kilometers (in road, twice than the Leopard 2). So,
the smaller size of the engine was in practice outweighed by the vast amount of
fuel that the tank had to carry: 1908 liters. The engine was coupled to an Allison
X1100 automatic transmission which had four speeds forward and two backward. It was
a derivative of that initially developed for the M60 and included
hydrostatic/regenerative power steering. Great consideration was given to
reliability and maintenance, and it was said that the whole engine could be removed
in less than thirty minutes for being replaced.[p]
In the development of the Chrysler M-1 eight main subcontractors worked: the
Government on the armament, Avco Lycoming on the engine, Cadillac Gage on the
turret and the stabilization system, Control Data Corporation on the ballistic
computer, Detroit Diesel Allison (General Motors Division) on the transmission,
Hughes Aircraft Corporation on the laser rangefinder and Kollmorgen Corporation on
the auxiliary optics of the gunner. The M-1 was provided with an NBC (Nuclear-
Biological-Chemical) warfare system and a complete night vision equipment for the
driver, the gunner and the commander. The fire control system was of similar
complexity than that of the M60A3, with incorporated weather and cannon status
sensors to improve the chances of hitting the target at the first shot.[p]
It was intended that the tanks produced from 1984 were armed with a version of the
Rheinmetall 120-millimeter 44-caliber smoothbore cannon (which equipped the Leopard
2, in service with the West German Army from 1979-80) produced under licence in
United States, designated M256 and fitted with a breech of new type. The version
armed with the new cannon, designated M-1E1, weighed 55.9 tonnes and could carry 40
projectiles.[p]
[box]
[fl][b]Specifications of Chrysler M-1[/b][/fl][p]
[b]Crew:[/b] 4[p]
[b]Armament:[/b] One M68E1 105-millimeter 51-caliber cannon; one 7.62-millimeter
co-axial machine gun; one 7.62-millimeter machine gun in the loader's hatch; one
12.7-millimeter machine gun in the
commander's cupola; six smoke launchers in each side of the turret[p]
[b]Ammunitions:[/b] 55 x 105-millimeter cannon; 1000 x 12.7-millimeter machine gun;
12400 x 7.62-millimeter machine gun[p]
[b]Armor:[/b] Chobham type[p]
[b]Lenght (with the cannon aiming forward):[/b] 9.61 meters[p]
[b]Lenght (hull):[/b] 7.92 meters[p]
[b]Width:[/b] 3.66 meters[p]
[b]Height (to the top of the turret):[/b] 2.84 meters[p]
[b]Weight (in order of combat):[/b] 54.5 tonnes[p]
[b]Ground pressure:[/b] N/A[p]
[b]Engine:[/b] Avco Lycoming AGT-T 1500 HP-C flex-fuel turbine, developing 1500
horsepower at 3000 revolutions per minute[p]
[b]Power/weight ratio:[/b] 27.52 horsepower/tonne[p]
[b]Maximum speed (in road):[/b] 72.4 kilometers/hour[p]
[b]Maximum speed (in countryside):[/b] 48 kilometers/hour[p]
[b]Maximum operational range (in road):[/b] 440 kilometers[p]
[b]Maximum surmountable trench:[/b] 2.74 meters[p]
[b]Maximum surmountable step:[/b] 1.22 meters[p]
[b]Maximum surmountable slope:[/b] 60 percent[p]
[b]Maximum sideward slope:[/b] 40 percent[p]
[b]Maximum fording (without preparation):[/b] N/A[p]
[/box][p]