The U.S. Army has 6,000 M1 Abrams tanks and for years has been saying that it doesn't need any more, but the service is requesting $558 million for more tanks in the latest budget.
"There's an industrial base piece to all of that," Maj. Gen. Neil Thurgood, the Army's deputy for acquisition and systems management, said Wednesday of the funding that will go to the General Dynamics Corps. plant in Lima, Ohio, the only tank manufacturer in the U.S.
Thurgood said the money would improve the Abrams' maneuverability and defenses, and also give its 120mm main smoothbore gun more range. "You want to be able to shoot further than the person shooting at you," he said.
The main reason for funding more tanks was, "we want to preserve our national ability to maintain that technology base" in U.S. heavy industry if needed in time of war, he said.
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