M1A2 Abrams Gunnery - Inside the Turret

[@ActionScripter]

Was there a reason the loader was waiting to reload after some of the shots?

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

This video was taken during a Platoon live fire, and we were shooting with 3 other tanks. We knew the targetry in advance, and had a platoon fire plan where we only engaged certain targets. On certain engagements, we had the loader stop loading when we were done shooting our designated targets just as an additional safety measure, because an accidental discharge with a 120mm cannon can be catastrophic.

[@TheDirrrty1]

The leader was slow!

[@Danspy501st]

@@dreadnaught_37_kilo Doesnt the Abrams have something like half load? As in the round is in the barrel, but the breech isnt fully closed/fire pin isnt in. Im not really an expect, but I would think there was some kind of safety for that on the 120mm guns. Not really for an accidental discharge, but more for the loader's sake (Like if he/she happens to be in the way of the breech. Something like a dead man switch)

[@russwatson8275]

One of the loaders duties is to clear the path of recoil before saying "up". "Up" is a verbal cue for the rest of the crew that tells them that the gun is loaded, armed and the path of recoil is clear.

[@Lo-tf6qt]

The Chieftain also says that having 120mm propellant flying around on the inside wasn't pleasant XD (It's in his chieftain chats abrams video where he says that)

[@limpek001]

The gun smoke extraction is very good. No smoke in the cabin when it fires.

[@hdogg21]

No durrr, this tank is most likely 4 years old, so it’s still in good shape. plus this beauty would have to be put out of service immediately in that case.

[@khatokhato9350]

The cabin inside is pressurized by the air charger which keeps pressure inside the tank higher. That's why fumes are extracted out. Otherwise crews will be disabled by highly toxic powder gases emerged from the open breach and projectile sludge.

[@pencilpusher4328]

The loader struggled with that 1st chell 😂

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

Notice how there's a different loader in the next 2 engagements...

[@xdgamerkid]

People always say that tanks are cramped but to me they look very spacious, Feel like I could get a good sleep in there honestly

[@khatokhato9350]

What I like in western tanks, that they are not confined. The crews have sufficient space inside. On opposite Russians have very small space inside.

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

Actually, when you erect all the guards, and avoid the path of recoil, Abrams has a similar amount of free space as a T-72 (aside from the crew standing instead of sitting). The open space behind the breech where an autoloader would be on a Russian tank is still not useable space in the Abrams. When you're not firing, however, it is pretty roomy ;)

[@balancedboy5085]

I would have loved to be one of these guys.

[@J3AD]

that hissing is not engine, sound more like NBC system on. you don't hear it on other parts, or just the device recording this, its mic not best. the whine is the engine.

[@predatorjunglehunter7332]

the whining sound is the hidraulic pump for the turret stabilization system

[@hike3]

which crew member are you axe? also cool vid

[@joshuacoonrad5004]

Gunner

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

How do you know? You weren't there! Yeah I was the gunner lol

[@kalsten2236]

@@dreadnaught_37_kilo wow amazing!

[@testdor]

I'm worried i've just noticed that but, when the gun cycle, the bottom part of the shell casing is drop back down from the breach; but where do the casing it-self goes? :/

[@K_GHOST225]

The casing is combustable and burns off when the round is fired

[@justaregularguy3827]

Its goes out and discards APFSDS. Armor piercing fun stabilized discarding sabot

[@riffler24]

The 120mm gun the Abrams uses has combustible casings, but the base of the shell has to be solid so it can contain the primer and be strong enough. that's what's falling out. It just falls into a collection bin that can then be emptied later

[@josecuellar4983]

does not have a casing its all plastic, except the base cap

[@kalsten2236]

@@riffler24 could it be a cost effective solution for not worrying about space and not having to eject spent casing right?

[@indiandefencelover9978]

Can you please answer that what is the capacitt of the coaxial machinegun and how many rounds can be linked together?

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

In total, the ammo box can hold 10,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammo in one belt. The most I've had in training was about 700 rounds.

[@failatief3619]

What happened to the rest of the casing? And why is the primer (?) Is the only one that is extracted?

[@viking5736]

Most of the casing will disintegrate when firing. This helps save space from spent casings, as the size of the charge required to propel a 4kg object at 1600m/s up to 3000m away isn't small.

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

The casing is made of nitrocellulose with a metal base - it's basically paper and will burn with the propellant.

[@balancedboy5085]

I always wondered. Is the cannon Depression really affected by the machinery inside of the turret? I bet the back end of the cannon nowadays is super small compared to older days.

[@riffler24]

I'm not certain on the Abrams, but in the old days the elevation and depression were done with big ol' gears cranking up and down. I imagine with the Abrams being fully stabilized it's electric/hydraulic. Regardless, a good tank design balances the weight so the gun elevates on the center of gravity so it's as easy as possible

[@predatorjunglehunter7332]

the geometry of the turret allows the gun breech to recoil properly when the cannon is depressed and fired and at a maximum of -10° angle

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

With the hydraulic lines depressurized, I can lift the gun up and down with one finger from the outside. It takes a whole hand on the inside.

[@jonathanspratling5469]

@@dreadnaught_37_kilo Yeah, even the manual elevation handle is just a hand pump to make it go up or down. The manual traverse, on the other hand, is a complete different animal. Engage the handle at the wrong time, and the kick back from the weight of the turret can break your hand. Cause at that moment, your hand is the only thing holding a 23? ton turret from going left or right. Do NOT engage the manual traverse when moving. Let the tank come to a complete stop first. If you forget, you'll only do it once. Pain is a great teacher.

[@jonathanspratling5469]

Yeah, the loader is slow. 16 seconds? Somebody is going to be doing some remedial training. All technique. Right hand hits the latch for the round, left pulls it out and then it gets flipped end for end over left shoulder, Slap it on the tray, right hand shoves it home. Get out of the way and arm the gun. 7 seconds is the standard. And you MUST prove you can do it before you are ever allowed to go to gunnery, then 11 and 12. Gunnery twice a year, and each crew MUST pass TCGST before going down range. Ah, the good 'ole days, I guess. Been over 17 years since I rode. Don't mind me, getting to be an old fart. Brave Rifles.

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

The loader at the beginning of this video actually got fired for that engagement. Notice the dropped round? I won't go into details, but there was enough remedial training to get a hazing investigation started on the remedial training NCO (came back unfounded). He was a pretty decent loader after a couple days of that. This was out table 12 (they call it "platoon table VI" now), and he didn't load for crew gunnery. Passed GST though.

[@michaelvincentgunawan5165]

What's causing the white noise?

[@joshuacoonrad5004]

The sharpe whining at the beginning is the turbine engine + turret/gun hydraulics, then it is drowned out by the hissing of the NBC system

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

The NBC system filters air and pumps it into the tank, the idea being that, with the hatches closed, the increased pressure inside the tank will prevent gas and other chemical weapons from sneaking in the cracks. It automatically comes on when the coaxial machine gun is selected to push gases created by firing out of the tank. You DON'T want to shoot coax in a tank without it, trust me. It hurts your eyes.

[@michaelvincentgunawan5165]

@@dreadnaught_37_kilo is it because from repeatedly seeing muzzle flashes through IR cam?

[@setesh1294]

@@michaelvincentgunawan5165 no. its from the gas released from firing the coax. the breach is in the turret, so gas escaping during automatic fire goes into the turret.

[@Patriot2609]

Why is there literally no such Merkava videos and and no one makes normal tank guides

[@Patriot2609]

Is the tank unspacious inside or its just the camera making it look small?

[@FreeRangeLemon]

It is relatively roomy inside the turret, but the camera is zoomed in a lot on the breach.

[@moistexistence3090]

Dr. Lemonseed better than those ww2 tanks those were cramped.

[@scribbledis]

The loader in the beginning was terrible!

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

You'll notice it was a different loader in the second and third engagements. The first loader was retraining during those ones.

[@buslll6242]

Very good

[@finmueller7827]

Woah!

[@destarizani089]

MI9-TANK ABRAHAM "Tetaplah.." MI9-TANK ABRAHAM RIZANI.

[@kardsufur2966]

Who decides which guy gets to be loader, driver, gunner, captain? What if I get stuck as loader but I want to be the guy who aims and shoots

[@norbertvarga7166]

It depends on the training. If you are trained to be a loader, they wont sit you in front of the gun, because you wouldnt know how to do stuff

[@J3AD]

@@norbertvarga7166 there is much cross training, plus evaluations are done while going threw A.I.D, later on as you move up in rank and skill you advance in position on tank.

[@TrailRider1200]

The entire crew knows how to do every job on the tank, but generally your loader is the newest, most inexperienced guy, then your driver, gunner, and the commander. You move 'up' position as you promote and get experience (again, this is very general. this can differ based even on the company you are assigned)

[@isaachousley325]

Personel will be assigned to a platoon and then the plt sgt and plt leader will assign them to a tank. They also decide who will be the tank comander for the other 2 tanks in the plt that they dont command. Once personel are assigned to a tank, its up to the tank commander to assign the crew positions. Its also ideal to rotate your crew through the positions in order to make casualties and personel loses less impactful. Contrary to what was said above, you dont put your best loader in the loader seat when in training because they already know how to be an efficient loader

[@L1DZRU]

My ears

[@KOTisykt]

Что за шум?

[@dreadnaught_37_kilo]

Turbine engine. The M1 and the T-80 are the only tanks that currently use turbines, and they are LOUD!

[@kardsufur2966]

T72 autoloader is way faster than this

[@evanbrace5111]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/poDXc5Vpg5dmpLc as fast as this?

[@kardsufur2966]

@@evanbrace5111 yup much faster, and that's a fresh crew, a battle weary crew in REAL battle would be fatigued and slow, whereas autoloader always goes same speed. Also, abrams forced to have 4 crew for that, russian 3. So when your tank dies you lose much more men which is a fail

[@evanbrace5111]

@@kardsufur2966 lol, well our tanks "die" less than the russian ones and we can go to a 3 maned crew in an emergency if we have to. Plus our ammo is protected unlike the Russian system. Also your auto loader isn't much faster and carries less. I don't hate the Russian style or auto loaders in general but our method works.

[@margitalaznovska]

@@kardsufur2966 I guess your country is still using T-72 so youre acting its better huh? You cant compare T-72 with M1A2 its like comparing VW golf with Ferrari... Abrams has better armor better survivability becouse of blowup pannels has better thermals has thermals for commander has better reverse speed and much more.. if your autoloading mechanism gets hit your T-72 will be coffin on the battlefield.

[@margitalaznovska]

@@kardsufur2966 T-72s reload is 8 seconds skilled loaders in M1A2s Leopards or Challys are able to reload first few shells in 5 seconds

[@kardsufur2966]

WTF is that annoying high pitch whining. Russian tanks don't have this

[@evanbrace5111]

T80 does. It's the turbine engine.

[@kardsufur2966]

@@evanbrace5111 and t80 is not the best russian tank, but abrams is the best the u.s. has. T90 + T14 both are way superior to obsolete Abrams

[@evanbrace5111]

@@kardsufur2966 What? Where did that come from? You asked what the noise was not what tank is better... What's with the hate here?

[@bluntcabbage6042]

@@kardsufur2966 Nope. The T-90 is a good tank, the M1 is a good tank. Why is the Abrams obsolete but the T-90 is not?

[@kardsufur2966]

@@bluntcabbage6042 because t90 is way more advanced, much more automated, has larger/better cannon caliber and generally out performs the abrams in every category

[@destarizani089]

/selectcomand