What kind of tanks are they using now over in Iraq?, How may do they have over there?, Are they losing alot in the fighting?

looks like they are losing some

US is using M1A1 and M1A2, depending on the unit. British are using Challenger IIs. There were some tanks lost a couple of months ago, believe they were USMC, haven't heard of any lately. Good news is that the crews are surviving, even if the tanks are lost.

Not sure how old the PDF file is but it is from the Army and says there were "no catastrophic losses due to enemy fire." Anyway, great, enlightening, site.

Shaun

http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/US-Field-Manuals/abrams-oif.pdf

EDIT: One M1 was destroyed by an IED and 2 crewmembers were killed EDIT

the last count I heard was 3 M1 versions lost 2 of which we popped with Cobras to deliver coup de grace. Hadn't heard about 2 crewman getting killed, so maybe we're up to 4 now.

I know I'm gonna feel stupid, but Shaun what is an IED?

Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Army term for a home made bomb.

Hi Steve,
IED = Improvised Explosive Device

DragonSlain,
It looks more like that Abrams is being canablized for spare parts.

Dave S.

No, Dave, that one was a SEP that ran over an IED killing the commander and gunner. The loader lost an arm and the driver had a concussion.

I down sized the pics a little. it looks indeed like a destroyed abrams.

Thanks for the info and the additional photo. When was that incident? I hadn't heard of any A2's damaged.

Dave S.

i have been talking to Tankleader through email, hes in iraq right now, and i believe he said there are no USMC tanks over there right now

I think 1st Tanks is over in-country, they were at one point, there was a write up in Leatherneck and I saw a pic of an Abrams by the "mixing bowl" on the 1 and 8 highways south of Baghdad.

hmm interesteing i guess i must have misunderstood him

It was about six months ago. Here's some more pics at Prime Portal

Rob

I don't know if it is an issue or not but the photos of the Abrams destroyed by the IED were removed from The Strategy Page website after they were notified by the DOD that they were classified.

Link below.
Shaun
Link died. Anyway, here is the email they received:

Classification: FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Sir,
Please remove the photos of the M1 Abrams destroyed by mines. The photos are not cleared for public distribution.
Thank You,
LTC Chris Carnes
[email protected]

LTC Christopher S. Carnes
Close Combat TISO
DCS, G2, DAMI-FIT
COM: 703-695-2047
DSN: 225-2047

Hi Guys, the last I heard 4 Abrams had been knocked in Iraq. 1 was hit in the engine compartment during 3rd IDs "Thunder Runs" during the actual taking of Baghdad, no casualties. 1 Marine M1A2 was knocked off a bridge and the crew drowned, also during the invasion. And two more have been knocked by IEDs or mines during the occupation. I don't know about the crew casualties for those last two. Also there have been other fatalities among tanks that were not destroyed, mostly exposed TC's or drivers. I don't have numbers for those individuals.

Welcome to Armorama. We look foward to your posts, comment, and models.

I'm doing a speech on the Thunder Runs, so allow me to elaborate:

During the first Thunder Run by 2nd Bge, 3ID (which was trying to link up with the 3IDs 1st Bge. at Saddam International Airport), the lead battalion was at a highway cloverleaf when one of its tanks was hit in its rear engine housing and burst into flames. The column stopped as the crew tried desperately to put out the fire. But the flames, fed by leaking fuel, spread.

The entire column was now exposed and taking heavy fire. Two suicide vehicles packed with explosives sped down the offramps. They were destroyed by tank cannons. After nearly 30 minutes of fighting, The brigade comander ordered the tank abandoned. To keep the tank out of Iraqi hands, the crew destroyed it with incendiary grenades.

Also, I made the same mistake of calling the Marine tanks M1A2s. They are M1A1. The housing is a Missile Countermeasure Device (MCD) and not the Commander's Independant Thermal Viewer (CITV) seen on Army M1A2s.

Jeff

Theres been more losses then reported..I know of a couple that where mobitily kills and they they where destroyed by Air or Helo attack to prevent their capture or use by the insurgants. If you follow Yahoo news photos you see photos once in a while of M1s hit or knocked out.

Jeff, I would be a little wary of using the term "burst into flames." Although this is technically correct, I think that most people reading it would get the idea that a fireball was the result. It was more of a small fire that could only be seen by looking into the access panels. As you noted the crew fought for 30 minutes before giving up putting out the flames. I am sure you got your information from the very good book out now called 'Thunder Run.' If you are interested in some more detail of the Thunder Runs for your speech contact me and I might be able to help out as I have alot of information from a first sergeant who was a TC with the 1-64.

Finally, 1-64 did try to destroy it as you described, but they were not completely successful. Later, air assets fired one or two Mavericks into it and brewed it up pretty good.

Good luck with your speech. Sounds very interesting.

Bob

Oh crap, I forgot to mention that that was a quote David Zucchino's book "Thunder Run" (the book you are refering to). Should've read my post more carefully.

I, however, didn't know that the tank that took a couple of Mavericks was the same one described here. If I remember right, it took at least one or two Hellfires and a couple of Maverick on top of a couple of sabot rounds before it was destroyed completely. That alone just amazes me and would strike complete confidence in myself that it took that much hardware to take out one of our tanks. I can only imagine that sense of nervousness in that pilots mind when he got a call to take out an Abrams.

As for any help, the preface on that book is sufficient for me to do my speech (its a required introductory-level speech class). However, if at all possible, I would like to know if anyone has a map of the distinct routes taken on both the 5 April and 7 April Thunder Runs, mainly the routes to the palace and 14 July monuments. I have a rather large map of Baghdad and I have been able to infer the most likely routes (there really is only one Highway 8 and only a couple cloverleafs), but I don't know for sure and while my audience won't know the difference, I will and pride myself on accuracy. My e-mail is [email protected]. Don't worry about file size (I have a large account). Any help is much appreciated.

Jeff