New US tank engine is making thirsty work

摘要

The US Army's selection of the General Electric/Honeywell LV-100 gas turbine for the Abrams/Crusader Common Engine (ACCE) programme represents an important step in the development of armoured vehicles (Jane's Defence Weekly 27 September 2000). One would not, therefore, expect the new engine to have an adverse effect on fuel efficiency and operational mobility. It does. The question about fuel consumption arises because the US Army has selected an engine not noted for its fuel economy. This choice is reminiscent of the adoption in the late 1970s of the AGT-1500 gas turbine for Ml main battle tanks (MBTs), about which I wrote an article in Jane's International Defense Review in June 1978. Despite claims that the fuel consumption of the AGT-1500-powered Ml would be as efficient as diesel-engined tanks, I predicted fuel consumption would actually be 60-70% higher. Reality proved even worse than my predictions. Extensive competitive trials showed the Ml consumed 100% more fuel than a comparable diesel-engined tank.