M1A1 Abrams tanks arrive at Camp Leatherneck

[vdcxw356]

Five Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tanks have arrived at Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan. It's the first step in what could prove to be a key turning point in the nine-year war in Afghanistan.

IED attacks and firefighters have killed fifteen members of Camp Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment since October 8th in the Sangin area alone.

Twelve more tanks are expected to arrive during the next few weeks.

The tanks are equipped with sophisticated surveillance and night vision technology. It's the first time they'll be used to support infantry units taking on Taliban fighters in more remote areas of Helmand Province. The tanks also bring a lot of ammunition to the battlefield.

[elliscraig12]

1. Read the rules
2. Go sell your products somewhere else

[Tennessee Top]

What's the point?

The Russians used armor also and you see how far it got them. Tanks cannot climb the mountains in Afghanistan or travel the narrow/winding roads. Why has it taken so long for them to be deployed if they are such an effective weapons system?

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[Supersquishy]

What's the point?

The Russians used armor also and you see how far it got them. Tanks cannot climb the mountains in Afghanistan or travel the narrow/winding roads. Why has it taken so long for them to be deployed if they are such an effective weapons system?

Beacuse the night sights are superior than anything we have including the cobra helicopter. The Tanks own the night, they can call in enemy positions when the enemy cant see them. Plus they each hold tens of thousands of rounds of 7.62 and .50 cal rounds, not including the shock effect of the 120 cannon. there is a coax machine gun sighted in tandem with the main cannon using the sights, think of it as a high tech sniper rifle.

[Tennessee Top]

I hope you're right Supersquishy.

But I still have to ask if the tanks can't get to where the enemy is (mountainous terrain), what are they going to shoot at?

Maybe I'm missing something but if armor is the "majic bullet", why has it taken so long to get there? Seems too simple but I hope it works.

[TheReservist]

While I've never been, I've heard that helmand province (the AO the Marines have) is a pretty flat desert like terrain and that other nations, the canadians and another nation (i believe) used tanks in the same AO to good effect for the past few years.

That use has spurred the Marines to bring in their tanks.