The U.S. Army is still testing the application of the
APS system. I've already posted on this issue this past year when I submitted all the
ABRAMS issues in the
MBT Thread which I'm still working on in putting into the
Patch Thread, which now seems to be more important that I get this done by reading these posts.
I guess I should
identify what the test bed is to establish a
possible timeline when they might be ready. As I already submitted, the MBT in question is the
M1A2C (Formally the M1A2 SEP 3) which might reach
FOC this Fall (I believe I submitted
OCT 2020.) as a best guess.
Because the U.S. Army received around
250 TROPHY units doesn't mean they have them certified for use. There is a
high degree of anticipation that they should work without any major configuration or operational modifications needed to support the ABRAMS.
https://news.am/eng/news/498095.html
I DID FIND THIS: "Michigan-based General Dynamics Land Systems was contracted to add the system to an Armor Brigade Combat Team’s
M1A2 SEPv2 at a cost of close to $10 million with an
expected completion date by the end of March 2019."
This Brigade of tanks was to prepared for rotational deployment to Europe.
However I haven't been able to find anything yet to support it was installed as noted above at that time or after, this includes whether they where actually deployed with it to Europe.
To the
BRADLEY, the
IRON FIST system due to budget and
minor operational testing issues, is at a
minimum months behind schedule in getting the systems installed on those platforms compared the
ABRAMS.
The
STRYKER program will also be delayed to the fact that the ARMY has decided to evaluate the
IRON FIST against a German System. Evaluations starts this Summer I believe.
I provided so many refs even from the Army to show in regards to the
ABRAMS in particular, that
FOC is generally established when
X-number of brigades have them, in other words, at their
operational combat strength.
About
ABRAMS FEP, when I was asked to look into this (And that started the ball rolling on all things
ABRAMS last year.), my
biggest issue was the
speculation that it included armor improvement plan (Some early refs
suggested this possibility.) as well. I can't tell you how many hours I put into just that tank alone sorting through the data. The answer was simple and stared me right in the face ready? USMC A1M1
FEP or
Firepower
Enhancement
Program that is all.
Concerning the
APS. when comes to the USMC tanks, those improvements follow the
ARMY that funds them.
Taking the
last sentence of the above para into account, I feel that the USMC
might have a platoon or company testing them due to the unique operating environment they'll be transported in and possibly used.
But I can't find it if that's the case though I didn't do a "
deep search" into the matter. However, I'll stake
my reputation on the fact
I strongly believe the USMC will see
TROPHY at near pace to the ARMY's full acceptance of that system. But it did take years to get the
FEP upgrades, again of which I had many good
official refs to.
It might not be worth much but, I feel we just need let this work itself out when the
ARMY says it's fully operational which so far it hasn't done.
The
M1A2C once operational will
most likely be equipped with
TROPHY from the start.
Also I just remembered that the
BRADLEY is to be equipped with a smaller version of
TROPHY, this was another reason for it's delay.
No permanent change to my normal schedule, just had the "
fight course" today. Sixty and "
Still Going Strong Baby"!?!
Regards,
Pat
Postscript: This falls in line with what I've posted and have seen taken from the below ref.
"Last year, the Army chose Trophy APS for its Abrams tanks, as did the Marine Corps.
The Army expects to equip four armored brigade combat teams by late 2020."
That coincides to the
timeline/or date I submitted for the
M1A2C/SEP 3 FOC.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-...ound-vehicles/