For the replacement of the Abrams main battle tank, the U.S. Army began its search for a new combat platform that will ensure the decisive superiority, more lethal to deploy, fight, and win future wars.
The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) already begins a study on the main battle tank of the next generation under the Future Decisive Lethality program.
Operating within this concept, the Army wants to receive fast combat vehicle that exceeds the performance of other main battle tanks and heavy combat vehicles.
The Next Generation Combat Vehicle – Future Decisive Lethality (NGCV-FDL) will have capabilities that are enabled by assured position, navigation and timing and resilient networks that will enable future maneuver formations to execute semi-independent operations while conducting cross-domain maneuver against a peer adversary.
And, judging by some renders of the NGCV-FDL concepts, the new tanks will be smaller and lighter than the existing Abrams and Leopard. These renders come from U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command.
New tanks also will be fitted with modern active protection to protect against anti-tank guided missiles, RPGs, anti-tank rockets, and tank HEAT rounds.
A result is expected in 2023, that makes a decision on the possible replacement of Abrams tanks after 40 years of service in the force possible.