TUSK stands for "Tank Urban Survival Kit," and represents the American approach to the problem of employing tanks in urban situations where weapons elevation, protection placement, and other design elements aren't designed to cope with key threats. The Leopard 2 PSO (Peace Support Operations) is another example of this kind of adaptation, albeit with a different combat engineering slant and camouflage improvements which may be instructive. What is certain is that combat in urban terrain is the way of the future, as demonstrated by trends over the last 15 years of major military engagements.
American M1 Abrams TUSK upgrades include a RWS machine gun operated from inside the vehicle, a loader's armor gun shield, a tank-infantry phone, Abrams reactive armor tiles, a remote thermal sight, and a power distribution box, as well as other key modifications that take many of the M1A1-SA "situational awareness" modifications and add a number of extra offensive and defensive systems designed to help the tank survive and fight on urban battlefields. See the accompanying graphic for more. Note finally that TUSK does not automatically upgrade a tank, which retains its earlier version - so they're properly referred to as M1A1 TUSK, M1A2 TUSK, etc. Recent contracts include....
Aug 15/06: General Dynamics Land Systems in Burlington, VT received a $30.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for Abrams Reactive Armor tile sets. Work will be performed in McHenry, MS (80%), and Burlington, VT (20%), and is expected to be complete by August 11, 2009. There were 8 bids solicited on May 23, 2006, and 3 bids were received by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ (W15QKN-06-C-0179).
Aug 10/06: General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, MI received the full delivery order amount of $21.7 million for tank urban survivability kits for the Abrams M1A1/A2 tanks. Work will be performed in Lima, OH (61%), Tallahassee, FL (17%), Sterling Heights, MI (16%), and Westminster, MD (6%), and is expected to be complete by May 30, 2008.. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 19, 2006 by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-06-G-0006).
DOD will continue to cover this important program.
