What is the (average) cost of a modern MBT? How much to produce one Leopard A6, a M1A2 Abrahms and what about their Russian counter parts? What is the (average) operating cost during normal running time(one year or so?)? What is the cost of firing a shell? What about the (average) operating cost during wartime?
The cost of an M1A1 Abrams is around 4.3 million cash. Not a cheap tank for sure. The Russians newer tanks of the ex-SU were not expensive at all, but this showed in cheap construction and few state of the art technologies. However, the Russian T-90, a highly modern battle tank, is quite expensive and it shows. The cost of tank goes far beyond the cost to produce it, when you factor in gas (and I don't believe tanks are very fuel-efficent) and ammuntion, repairs and such. For many countries, having a large fleet of tanks is highly impracticle if they are not going to use them. And for a tank to be practicle, it must atleast destroy as much as it costs to produce it.
Price for one Leclerc tank is around 15 million US dollars, depending on the version. I am not completely sure for the Leopard, but I've heard it's similar. Last versions of the Abrams are somewhat cheaper, around 9-10 millions.
Hi Zhukov ! Haven´t seen you around here in a while, nice to see you back. I guess that has a lot to do with the number of units produced. More units produced, lower price per unit. Maybe these tanks ( Leopard, Leclerc, Abrams etc. ) will be the last generation of "national" tanks ? The next generation of tanks will most likely be even more expensive, and the only solution to keeping the unit price at an acceptable level is to produce as many as possible. Even the US will have to throw in the towel and go multinational at some point.
Yes, probably. Maybe these tanks ( Leopard, Leclerc, Abrams etc. ) will be the last generation of "national" tanks ? The next generation of tanks will most likely be even more expensive, and the only solution to keeping the unit price at an acceptable level is to produce as many as possible. Even the US will have to throw in the towel and go multinational at some point.[/quote] The question is wether there will be a need for such expensive MBT's in the future.
Good to see you to Skua! I haven't been around the net lately, but now that school started again, I can use their computers.
