Quote:
Originally Posted by FASTBOAT TOUGH
About ABRAMS FEP, when I was asked to look into this (And that started the ball rolling on all things ABRAMS last year.), my biggest issue was the speculation that it included armor improvement plan (Some early refs suggested this possibility.) as well. I can't tell you how many hours I put into just that tank alone sorting through the data. The answer was simple and stared me right in the face ready? USMC A1M1 FEP or Firepower Enhancement Program that is all.
Concerning the APS. when comes to the USMC tanks, those improvements follow the ARMY that funds them.
Taking the last sentence of the above para into account, I feel that the USMC might have a platoon or company testing them due to the unique operating environment they'll be transported in and possibly used.
|
Pretty much my understanding as well.
The FEP upgrade was NOT an armor upgrade, merely a targeting, fire control, and vision systems upgrade. That said, while they were upgrading the fire control systems they also upgraded any M1A1s that were not already the HC (Heavy Common) variant to that variant. And upgraded all of them to the latest (at the time) HC variant, armor wise.
As to Trophy, yes, some systems were acquired, and deployed in the Mid East, how many I'm unsure, but the USMC didn't have that many tanks over there so probably enough for most, if not all of them. And, yes, it was basically live fire field testing. I wouldn't expect general employment until the US Army adopts them (buy them in bulk via the US Army contract).