It’s mostly just large. 4 crew instead of 3 and an auto-loader, and they focus on extra thick composite armor instead of a mix of that and reactive armor. And meanwhile, the t-72’s an extension of old Soviet philosophy that a smaller tank was that much harder to hit, so everything’s packed as tight as possible, while you could almost have a small cookout in the abrams.
/Edit - And as mentioned elsewhere, the abrams is stupidly heavy at this point and has even gained something like 20 tons over the years. A smaller, lighter tank has less problems crossing softer terrain and getting over rickety bridges.
It’s due to the gas turbine. Soviet T-80 with gas turbine is also shit at fuel economy (and that was why it didn’t become a new main tank instead of T-72).
What’s filling all that extra space? Is it way more armored?
It’s mostly just large. 4 crew instead of 3 and an auto-loader, and they focus on extra thick composite armor instead of a mix of that and reactive armor. And meanwhile, the t-72’s an extension of old Soviet philosophy that a smaller tank was that much harder to hit, so everything’s packed as tight as possible, while you could almost have a small cookout in the abrams.
/Edit - And as mentioned elsewhere, the abrams is stupidly heavy at this point and has even gained something like 20 tons over the years. A smaller, lighter tank has less problems crossing softer terrain and getting over rickety bridges.
Yeah but does the t72 get half a mile to the gallon like the Abrams? Fuel economy is for commies and women.
It’s due to the gas turbine. Soviet T-80 with gas turbine is also shit at fuel economy (and that was why it didn’t become a new main tank instead of T-72).
Does all that composite armor stand up to more modern kinetic rounds and tandem warheads? Surely they get some benefit from it?