The M1 Abrams is the current main battle [[tank]] of the United States Army. Entering service in 1980, it replaced the Vietnam-era M60 Patton. It uses composite armor, and its distinctive slab-sided turret, with its sloping panels, is a consequence of this. Its gas turbine engine resides in a raised afterdeck.

The Abrams was originally armed with a 105mm [[cannon]], subsequently upgraded to 120mm. Other weapons includes a roof-mounted .50 caliber M2 machine gun and 2 7.62mm [[machine gun|machine guns]]. These may be supplanted by remotely-controlled weapon stations using a Mk. 19 automatic grenade launcher or an M134 [[gatling gun|Minigun]].

It is the vehicular motif of the [[Decepticon]] [[Brawl (transformers)|]] in the [[Transformers]] live-action films.

h4. External links

* "Abrams":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Abrams
m1 abrams