"So the smoke is insuperable for M1 Abrams LRF - accuracy IMHO should be severely reduced."
It depends on who you listen to.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...-grumman01.htm
"The ELRF Main Battle Tank rangefinder has been used successfully by the U.S. Army for a number of years and has proven its accuracy and effectiveness most recently during combat in Iraq,"
"The ELRF is a highly accurate, hardened system for the fire control sight in the Abrams Main Battle Tank. The ELRF gives the tank gunner the ability to determine target ranges in all battlefield conditions including fog, smoke, dust, sand and haze."
As I said being able to see a target with thermals but not being able to lase it is something I have never heard about, neither now nor in 91.