M1 Abrams vs T-72 Ural: Operation Desert Storm 1991

Osprey Duel #18

by Steven J. Zaloga, Steven J. Zaloga

The Gulf War bore witness to a number of deadly encounters between these two great adversaries. Heavily armored, highly mobile and capable of killing at over 2500m the M1 Abrams is, to this day, a veritable fighting machine. Superior to both Iraq's Soviet era T-55 and T-62 tanks, nearly all sources claim that no Abrams tank has ever been destroyed by enemy fire. Despite entering service in 1980, the M1 Abrams remained untested in combat until the Gulf War in 1991, where it was to be confronted by its archenemy the Iraqi-assembled Soviet-designed T-72. Entering production in 1971, the T-72 arguably outstripped its contemporaries in a balance of mobility, protection and firepower. By the time of Operation Desert Storm, however, the tables had turned and the tank suffered due to low quality ammunition and poorly trained crews. In this fascinating study, Steven Zaloga pits these two great fighting machines against one another, plotting the development of the Cold War until both tanks met in combat in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, War, Military History, Middle East

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Steven Zaloga is an author and defense analyst known worldwide for his articles and publications on military technology.  He has written over a hundred books on military technology and military history, including “Armored Thunderbolt: The US Army Sherman in World War II”, one of the most highly regarded histories of the Sherman Tank.  His books have been translated into Japanese, German, Polish, Czech, Romanian, and Russian. He was a special correspondent for Jane’s Intelligence Review and is on the executive board of the Journal of Slavic Military Studies and the New York Military Affairs Symposium. From 1987 through 1992, he was the writer/producer for Video Ordnance Inc., preparing their TV series Firepower.  He holds a BA in history from Union College and an MA in history from Columbia University.

Mr. Zaloga is also a noted scale armor modeler and is a host/moderator of the World War II Allied Discussion group at Missing-Lynx.com, a modelling website. He is a frequent contributor to the UK-based modeling magazine Military Modelling. He is a member of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society.

Reviews

[Atakan İskender · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Steven Zaloga examines the largest tank battle in the 20th century after the Battle of Kursk through the M1 Abrams / T-72. As in other books of the author, this book not only provides in-depth technical knowledge about tanks but also focuses on the tactical / operational development of the war and the strategic structure of the sides. Although the book mainly covers the effectiveness of tanks, information has been given on other factors affecting the tank battle. It is a must-read book for those interested in military history and especially the dynamics of modern armored combat.

[James Yee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these extended-length (80-page) Osprey books. They provide a bit more context than their 64-page books and I like how they compare & contrast the opposing forces - personnel, training, equipment, tactics, etc. A nice quick read that has me considering looking for more detailed accounts of the armor warfare of Desert Storm.

[Timothy Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read, good discussion of rival tanks

Very good history, and the context of these two fighting vehicles in desert storm.
Lots of good information,worth reading. This volume is very easy to follow.

[kul Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dandy explanations towards tanks.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This represents one entry in the Osprey Duel series. This slender volume focuses on the tank combat in Desert Storm, in 1991. Two key tanks: the M1 Abrams on the American side and the T-72 (a Soviet-built tank) on the Iraqi side. Indeed, as the author notes at the outset, the tank combat in Iraq may have served as something of a model for what might have happened had Warsaw Pact and NATO forces engaged in combat.

Both sides in Desert Storm had significant armored forces. Outcomes in battle were a function of two factors--the ability of the tanks and the training and performance of the tank crews. Both have to be accounted for.

Early on, as with other books examining weapons systems, design, development, and technical specifications of the tanks are provided. Pages 15 and 23 provide tank to tank comparisons (although it is annoying that physical dimensions are in feet for the M-1 and in the metric system for the T-72). Then, there is a discussion of the crews. The m-1 had a crew of 4 and the T-72 of 3. American crews were, overall, better trained and better fit for field combat. Iraqi tankers tended to be rather poorly trained--a genuine hazard once combat began.

Next, the strategic thinking of the two opponents are discussed and--then--the actual fighting. The end result was a battering of the Iraqi forces. More American tanks were destroyed by friendly fire than by Iraqi tanks.

A nice brief volume on tank versus tank in Operation Desert Storm.

[Joe Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look!

I gave this 5 stars as I found the development histories and technical data is fascinating, as well as the use of the words of participants.

Not only that, but it gives an excellent overview of th disparity between the two forces, and also the gun sight views and explanations are amazing.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but very good book about these two modern tanks and how the faced off against each other in Operation Desert Storm.

[Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, shows you a lot of why the M1A1 easily defeated the T-72 in Iraq.