Help with Research on M1 Abrams

[andrewlchadwick]

I am currently researching the combat performance of the M1 Abrams against Iraqi insurgents during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The research is part of my honors research project in military history at the University of Maryland.

I am having difficulties finding much material on this topic. Does anyone on the boards have suggestions as to where I could find some good sources on the Abrams' performance in Iraq? Thanks!

[Marc]

I am currently researching the combat performance of the M1 Abrams against Iraqi insurgents during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The research is part of my honors research project in military history at the University of Maryland.

I am having difficulties finding much material on this topic. Does anyone on the boards have suggestions as to where I could find some good sources on the Abrams' performance in Iraq? Thanks!

Abrams' performance during the first weeks of OIF:
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1539.pdf

Abrams' performance during the second battle of Fallujah:
http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/matthews_fajr.pdf?bcsi_scan_3C79E7817CDC4FD7=1
http://www.angelfire.com/art2/narod/armour_urban_terrain_iraq/

Annual OIF OPTEMPO (Miles per year) of Abrams and other combat systems (see slide 14).
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2007combatvehicle/NDIACOMBATvehiclesDay2/TARDEC1007NDIA2007CVCDrBversion28810am.pdf?bcsi_sc an_3C79E7817CDC4FD7=wp/yldqGhRcwZQwT0UoCA4pdjiMBAAAAQVaQAQ==&bcsi_scan_filename=TARDEC1007NDIA2007CVCDrBversion 28810am.pdf

Regards,

Marc

[Fuchs]

Ask CALL, Ft Knox, US Armor association, ...

[andrewlchadwick]

Abrams' performance during the first weeks of OIF:
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/jfq_pubs/1539.pdf

Abrams' performance during the second battle of Fallujah:
http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/matthews_fajr.pdf?bcsi_scan_3C79E7817CDC4FD7=1
http://www.angelfire.com/art2/narod/armour_urban_terrain_iraq/

Annual OIF OPTEMPO (Miles per year) of Abrams and other combat systems (see slide 14).
http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2007combatvehicle/NDIACOMBATvehiclesDay2/TARDEC1007NDIA2007CVCDrBversion28810am.pdf?bcsi_sc an_3C79E7817CDC4FD7=wp/yldqGhRcwZQwT0UoCA4pdjiMBAAAAQVaQAQ==&bcsi_scan_filename=TARDEC1007NDIA2007CVCDrBversion 28810am.pdf

Regards,

Marc

Good stuff! Thanks!

[Cavguy]

http://www.alsa.mil/library/alsb/ALSB%202008-1.pdf - pp 6-9
If you have access through your library to professional journals, check Small Wars & Insurgencies, Volume 21, Issue 3, 519 for an article titled "It's all the Rage" about Armor performance in insurgencies.

The following thread has lots of info and links that you may want:

http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=3951

[andrewlchadwick]

http://www.alsa.mil/library/alsb/ALSB%202008-1.pdf - pp 6-9
If you have access through your library to professional journals, check Small Wars & Insurgencies, Volume 21, Issue 3, 519 for an article titled "It's all the Rage" about Armor performance in insurgencies.

The following thread has lots of info and links that you may want:

http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=3951

Thanks for the help. I am getting a lot of good data about the Abrams in Iraq, and it’s mostly been positive. The links everybody has provided have been extremely helpful.

As I make my way through the available material on the Abrams in post-Saddam Iraq, I am seeing three main battles that the weapon system played a prominent role in: Najaf (Spring/Summer 2004), Fallujah (November 2004), and the Tal Afar (2005-2006).

In order to keep my paper's length within limits, I am considering focusing my research on these three battles as examples of the Abrams (A1 and A2 models) combat performance against insurgents.

Would anyone agree/disagree over the use of these three battles as the focus of an essay on the performance of the Abrams against insurgents in the post-Saddam Iraq?

[MeyersCV]

Gentlemen, I hope you find the two attachments helpful. The two documents were written immediately following the first month of PHANTOM FURY/AL FAJR and are an account of Company A, 2d Tanks in Fallujah. Feel free to write if you have any questions.

(Hope this works, this is my first time posting anything on SWJ).

Feel free to write with questions
CVM

[Fuchs]

Some comparison with Challenger 2 performance might be a good idea.

[andrewlchadwick]

Some comparison with Challenger 2 performance might be a good idea.


Yeah, from what I understand, the Challenger 2 performed quite impressively in southern Iraq.

Outside of Iraq, I also heard the Canadian Leopard tanks performed well in Afghanistan.

[ganulv]

Yeah, from what I understand, the Challenger 2 performed quite impressively in southern Iraq.

Outside of Iraq, I also heard the Canadian Leopard tanks performed well in Afghanistan.

For my own edification, is there a standard set of metrics for evaluating performance of armour?

[davidbfpo]

Outside of Iraq, I also heard the Canadian Leopard tanks performed well in Afghanistan.

Andrew,

There are some posts on the Canadian use of the Leopard, referring to published articles; the Danes also deployed Leopards and the Germans have not used them. IIRC the Danes used their armour in "over-watch" positions and loaned some to the USMC upon arrival in Helmand.

Cannot help readily on the UK Challengers in Iraq.

[andrewlchadwick]

For my own edification, is there a standard set of metrics for evaluating performance of armour?

I am still in the early phases of my research. I haven’t found any standards metrics on main battle tank (MBT) performance thus far. If anyone knows of any, please let me know.

That said, I judge the tank's performance as successful if it accomplishes its mission. And from what I’ve read thus far, the heavy armor and devastating firepower of the Abrams, Challenger, and Leopard MBTs have enabled these vehicles to accomplish their missions, while excelling in combat against insurgents in Iraq and, in the case of the Leopard, in the Afghanistan. These vehicles can simply go places where very few other vehicles can go.

Still, there are drawbacks to the use of armor against insurgents, especially in urban areas. Although the intimidation factor of tanks is useful against insurgents, it can also create a sense of fear among the population we are trying to win over. The destructive power of the tanks' main gun can also create excess collateral damage that can be counterproductive to the mission to “win hearts and minds.”

[andrewlchadwick]

Andrew,

There are some posts on the Canadian use of the Leopard, referring to published articles; the Danes also deployed Leopards and the Germans have not used them. IIRC the Danes used their armour in "over-watch" positions and loaned some to the USMC upon arrival in Helmand.

Cannot help readily on the UK Challengers in Iraq.


I didn't know the Danes deployed their Leopoards to Afghanistan. Sounds like a good topic to look into. Thanks!

[andrewlchadwick]

Gentlemen, I hope you find the two attachments helpful. The two documents were written immediately following the first month of PHANTOM FURY/AL FAJR and are an account of Company A, 2d Tanks in Fallujah. Feel free to write if you have any questions.

(Hope this works, this is my first time posting anything on SWJ).

Feel free to write with questions
CVM

Thanks for the material. I especially enjoyed this line: "Tanks are a morale booster to the infantry and a morale devastator to the enemy.”

My advisor will be quite pleased that I have some additional primary sources to add to my paper. Thanks!

[ganulv]

My advisor will be quite pleased that I have some additional primary sources to add to my paper. Thanks!

I don’t know whether you want to do archival research for your thesis or even if relevant material has yet been deposited there, but I have made one visit to the National Archives at College Park (http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/) and a great many of the visitors were in uniform. Since you are at Maryland it wouldn’t be too much of a hike for you. The experience would make you feel like a real historian, in any case. :D

I visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtbradley/sets/72157625571074173/) in December. Again, a good experience regardless of how topical it might or might not be to your research project.

[andrewlchadwick]

I don’t know whether you want to do archival research for your thesis or even if relevant material has yet been deposited there, but I have made one visit to the National Archives at College Park (http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/) and a great many of the visitors were in uniform. Since you are at Maryland it wouldn’t be too much of a hike for you. The experience would make you feel like a real historian, in any case. :D

I visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtbradley/sets/72157625571074173/) in December. Again, a good experience regardless of how topical it might or might not be to your research project.

As a student in the DC area, I am fortunate to have tons of great resources for military history reserach nearby. I have not ventured into the National Archieves at College Park, but it's definitely on my to do list.

I have been to the National Museum of the Marine Corps, which, as you said, is a great experience.

Thanks for the tips!

[Steve Blair]

What's amazing is how much of this had to be relearned from the experience of armor in Vietnam.

There was also a special issue of the "Armor and Cavalry Journal" a couple of years back that covered COIN in Iraq with a heavy focus on (obviously) armored elements along with some historical perspective articles. That might be of some use.

Linked from here, actually...SWJ post (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showpost.php?p=59796&postcount=3).

[andrewlchadwick]

What's amazing is how much of this had to be relearned from the experience of armor in Vietnam.

There was also a special issue of the "Armor and Cavalry Journal" a couple of years back that covered COIN in Iraq with a heavy focus on (obviously) armored elements along with some historical perspective articles. That might be of some use.

Linked from here, actually...SWJ post (http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showpost.php?p=59796&postcount=3).

Yet another lesson from Vietnam that the Army forgot.

[Fuchs]

I didn't know the Danes deployed their Leopoards to Afghanistan. Sounds like a good topic to look into. Thanks!

DTI had an article on Danes and Canucks deploying and using Leo2s in AFG. Maybe 2 years ago.

[Steve the Planner]

Andrew:

Military.com has unit forums, like 64th Armor, so you can also track to first hand contacts through that source.