Tank M1 "Abrams" during the Cold War largely created as a barrier that could stop the Soviet tank armies rushing to the Channel. After the termination of a joint development with German main tank Americans began to work on a competitive basis on its own machine of this type. After testing in 1976 was selected for further improvement of the sample company "Chrysler", launched in 1980 in a series under the designation M1 "Abrams General."
The first "Abrams", named after American general-tanker, were armed with a 105 mm smoothbore gun M68 (licensed version of the British L7), stabilized electro-devices in the vertical and horizontal planes. Additional armament consisted of two machine guns of 7.62 mm, one of which was paired with a gun, and a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun. From previous US tanks "Abrams" have improved booking system. Welded hull and turret had a multilayer armor obstacles, similar to the British armor "chobhem" used in tanks "Challenger" and "Leopard" 2. In addition, the crew has been isolated from the ammunition and fuel armor fences. Boeukladki housed in the aft compartment of the tower, which has a roof expelling panel. With the defeat of the chamber and the detonation of shells all the energy of the explosion went up. Fuel compartments were equipped with powerful fire-fighting equipment using LPG "Helon" safe for the tankers.