Quote:
Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic
Basically, yes.
Standard equipment for the Abrams in Australian service includes Barracuda multispectral cam nets, extra climate control (which has to contend with high heat and also high humidity), extra fuel, extra water, extra spares, extra stowage points for all of that gear, infantry/tank phone, a fridge, all the wading kit from the USMC Abrams, elements of SEP, elements of TUSK, exhaust deflectors, plus the fact that we only use diesel which is heavier than the AvGas per litre...
This situation is the same as why Australian 5.56mm ammo is a different weight to US 5.56mm - the item has been modified to suit Australian conditions (primarily, it uses a different propellant more suited to Australia's climate).
It's the same reason as to why the L1A1 in Australian service had a different weight to the British L1A1.
It's the same reason as why the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates in Australian service had different weights and crew requirements to the same frigate in US service.
It's the same reason why Australia's Leopard 1 MBTs had a different weight to the parent model they were based upon.
In the case of the 5.56mm ammo and the L1A1 the weight difference is minor, obviously the larger the equipment and the more complex the item, the greater likelihood that different fittings will have a larger weight difference.
But one point remains - all of them were modified to suit Australian requirements. Those requirements are as much political in some cases as they are geographic, climate and usability considerations.
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So the Abrams fully loaded without DU armour weighs no more than 66 US tons. The Australian listing for the Abrams is 68.2 US tonnes, but as you have said and I have seen there is a figure out there for 69.5 US tons for the Australian tank. I'm staring to go with that figure. So the difference in DU-armour versus the export armour is now 3.5 tonnes.
This figure dates from 2008 and include SEP and before most of your additional items were added.
At that time a Lt Col Hayward stated that "Australianisation" of the Abrams AIM would include stowage mounts for F88 Steyr rifle in the crew compartment, chilled drinking water and a camouflage system, the addition of an infantry telephone at the rear of the tank, the integration of the infantry personal role radio and, as a nicety, a 20cm red kangaroo stencil on each side of the turret.
This is not exactly a major upgrade. But if you add these items with the list of items that you said were added, and they weight 2 US tons then the weight of the Australian Abrams must be well over 70 US tons and as heavy as even the very latest versions of the US Army Abrams with DU armour.
Also Australian Abrams use diesel fuel since the use of JP-8 is less common in the Australian Army, but they have the same AGT-1500 Gas turbine engines as US versions. The Barracuda Mobile Camouflage Systems (MCS) is lightweight, and according to SAAB who make it weighs no more than 250 g/mē. Also according to SAAB it minimizes the effects of solar loading passively, radically lowering the vehicle inner temperature, creating better conditions for personnel and electronic equipment and preventing the ballistic effects from temperature changes and shortens time for cooling down to operational temperature and lowering fuel consumption by minimizing the fuel used for cooling. It is supposed to lower total fuel consumption up to 25 % by minimizing the fuel used for cooling. Also other countries tanks use extra fuel, extra water, extra spares, extra stowage points for all of that gear, and its not included in the basic weight of their tanks. If you want to add all that up along with TUSK armour and the US Marine wading kits to the weight of the tank that is fine, but the basic weight of the tank before all that gear is fitted is still going to be 69.5 US tons.