The M1A1 Abrams Tank in Egypt

Abstract

Egypt -- a land famous for its great Pyramids, the Sphinx, vast deserts, oases, the Nile River, and the best trained tank crews in the Arab world. The United States supports the Arab Republic of Egypt with financial aid and security assistance. One of the largest efforts in the U.S. security assistance arena is the co-production and fielding of the M1A1 Abrams, the U.S. Army's main battle tank, by the Egyptian Land Forces (ELF). Along with the co-production of 524 M1A1s, is the fielding, New Equipment Training (NET), and follow-on support for the Egyptian Army. This is the mission of the U.S. Army M1A1 Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT). The M1A1 TAFT was originally set up in 1989 to assist the Egyptian Land Forces in preparing for the introduction of the tank into their combat units. Once fielding began in June 1993, the team was expanded to 11 members to provide hands-on technical assistance. The M1A1 TAFT supports two aspects of the fielding: On the Job Training (OJT) for the tank crews, and hands-on assistance with maintenance of the tank and related equipment. The TAFT is headed by a U.S. Army Armor Branch Lieutenant Colonel, with two M1A1 Master Gunners to oversee the crew training portion of the mission. A maintenance team of an Ordnance Corps Major, two Warrant Officers, and four NCOs provide training and advice to the ELF maintenance personnel assigned to the M1A1 units. The support covers all maintenance activities from Organizational Level to Intermediate General Support, and assists in the set up of all maintenance facilities for the tank. Along with the Americans who serve on the TAFT, there are Egyptian Army counterpart TAFT members who have a very significant role in the fielding process. Together, the American and Egyptian counterparts share in the fielding effort, learning a great deal from each other in the process.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA495958

Entities

People

  • David E. Sparrow
  • Thomas O. Begasse

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Basic Training
  • Doctrine
  • Instructors
  • Job Training
  • Lessons Learned
  • Maintenance
  • Maintenance Personnel
  • Personnel Management
  • Recovery Vehicles
  • Security
  • Standards
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States
  • Universities
  • Vehicles
  • Warrant Officers

Readers

  • Instructional Design and Training Evaluation.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.