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Iraq
7 civilians killed, US tank knocked out?
2006-03-10
BAGHDAD, Iraq Mar 10, 2006 (AP)— A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed truck at a checkpoint at the edge of Fallujah on Friday, killing seven civilians and wounding five, police said.

The bomber attacked as many cars waited to pass through the security checkpoint into the city, 40 miles west of Baghdad, said police Lt. Mohammed Taha. Two of the wounded were police.

In east Baghdad on Friday, a large explosion set fire to a U.S. tank, Iraqi police Lt. Ali Abbas said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

There's a photo at the link. It's hard to tell, but something about it doesn't look like an M1 Abrams.
Posted by:Chinter Flarong9283

#9  Only a very close-up, very high-yield/powerful explosive can do that to an Abrams - its a tribute to the tank's overwhelming qualities that its crew survived mostly unhurt. Its true that a damaged FV that is repaired back to full working/oper condition doesn't show up on the Army's stats.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-03-10 22:23  

#8  Usually at that level they arent repaired.
Posted by: Omoter Hupolurt9095   2006-03-10 22:00  

#7  The tank costs about $5m apiece. Tens of tons of it is solid steel-encased depleted uranium. They'll just replace any parts that don't work and return it to operation.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-10 19:01  

#6  It will be repaired. The fire is on the outside from spilled diesel. Tracks, road wheels, seals, and any melted circuit boards will be replaced.

Even in WW2, most Sherman's were repaired and fought another day. That was after a tank shell tore up the crew compartment, set gasoline and hydraulic fluid on fire. As long as it didn't blow all the main gun ammo stored in a carousel around the turret.
Posted by: ed   2006-03-10 18:37  

#5  ...It's definitely an Abrams, but it takes a LOT to kill one beyond hope. There's some incredible footage out there somewhere of tests done during development where the techies filled the tank's mag with a typical combat load, then set off the mag - the mag doors bulge, smoke and sparks and shoots of flame get past the doors - but the doors stayed effectively sealed and the inside of the tank remained intact.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2006-03-10 18:26  

#4  Fox had video. Both tracks were blown off and it was burning. Totaled, dood.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2006-03-10 18:24  

#3  The hatch is open, the track is gone, that probably qualifies as knocked out. Temporarily knocked out, that is :-)
Posted by: Rafael   2006-03-10 15:47  

#2  The M1's crew was unhurt. Looks like the tank rolled right over a roadside bomb that cracked it's fuel tank.
Posted by: ed   2006-03-10 15:45  

#1  Looks like an Abrams to me. Not sure if it is "knocked out" or not.
Posted by: CCat   2006-03-10 14:59  

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