Abrams Tank

Operating Costs More Than Expected Gao ID: NSIAD-91-114 February 28, 1991

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the operating cost and the readiness of the Army's M1 Abrams tank, focusing on: (1) whether the Army expected the M1 tank to be cheaper to operate and support than the M60 tank; (2) the comparison between the costs to operate and support the M1 tank and the M60 tank; and (3) whether the M1 tank was meeting its field operational readiness goals.

GAO found that: (1) the M1 Abrams tank was faster, more survivable, and more lethal than the M60 tank, but was not cheaper to operate and support; (2) the M1 and M1A1 tanks cost 4.2 times and 3.2 times as much per mile, respectively, to operate and support than the M60 tank; (3) the Army undertook a number of ongoing efforts to reduce Abrams operational and support costs, such as fielding a more durable tank track, reducing fuel usage, and improving fault diagnosis; and (4) Abrams readiness rates usually exceeded the Army's 90-percent readiness requirement, but the readiness reporting procedures included reporting exceptions that could have allowed the inclusion of noncapable tanks in the readiness rates.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.