Military Tank Key Terms

Understanding key terms related to military tanks
By Kim Finn Military tanks serve as a symbol of our country's strength. These critical weapon systems can engage the enemy head-on with large guns while protecting their crews with an armored shell. Whether you work as a subcontractor to the industry or just want to place a tank static display in front of your business to attract attention, you should first understand the basic terminology relevant to military tanks.

This guide focuses on six basic definitions ranging from types of tanks to different tank parts and a primary threat to tanks. Terms include: M1 Abrams, M4 Sherman, tracked vehicle, hull, gun turret and anti-tank guided missile.

M1 Abrams

First produced in 1978, the M1 is a heavily armored and armed, low-profile and full-tracked land combat weapon system. Designed to directly engage and destroy enemy tanks and other armored fighting vehicles while providing full protection to its four-man crew, the M1 continues serving as the backbone of the U.S. Army.
Try:  Learn more about the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank at the Federation of American Scientists/Military Analysis Network website.

M4 Sherman

Like the M1's current status as the U.S. military workhorse on the ground, the M4 fulfilled the same role during WWII for the U.S. and its allies. Roughly 50,000 units of the medium tank were produced during the war.
Try:  Read more about the M4 at HowStuffWorks.

Tracked vehicle

A tank is a tracked vehicle, meaning it employs large, continuous tracks comprised of joined flat sections made of rigid rubber and metal links. The track system works much like a conveyor belt, and as the tank moves forward, each individual track lays flat on the ground at the front and then gets picked up when it reaches the back. The front and back tracks, as well as those in-between, all work to carry the tank's load. The tank's engine rotates steel sprockets, and the sprockets move the track.
Try:  View video of the M1 Abrams in action to see how the track system contributes to the tank's ability to navigate quickly across any type of terrain.

Hull

The lower portion of a tank is called the hull. It includes the tank body, engine, transmission and track system.
Try:  View the hulls of numerous military tanks from different countries at Military Factory. Scroll down to learn more about construction of the Russian tank hull.

Gun turret

The top portion of a tank is the gun turret. The armored structure's purpose is to support weapons such as cannons and large tank guns. The circular turret is located at the hull's center and rotates 360-degrees on modern tanks.
Try:  Scroll down to the sixth paragraph of the M1 Abrams description at GlobalSecurity.org to gather more information about the M1 gun turret.

Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)

An anti-tank guided missile is a guided weapon system designed to destroy main battle tanks and other armored fighting vehicles. ATGMs pose a real threat to tanks and can be truck-mounted, man portable or helicopter-mounted.
Try:   Learn more about ATGMs at Absolute Astronomy. For the latest news in worldwide developments regarding ATGMs, bookmark the Jane's website.