SPECIFICATIONS

GOVERNMENT:United States of North America/USSN
TYPE: Main Battle Tank
MODEL: M2A3 & M2A4 General Michael ArmorStrong
DATE INTRODUCED:
             2042 AD
             2057 AD
LENGTH: 24 feet
WIDTH: 12.5 feet
HEIGHT: 7.5 feet
MATERIAL: Titanium Steel Alloy (both)
POWER PLANT:
             Rokwell RFR-10 (M2A3)
             Rokwell RFR-10A (M2A4)
OUTPUT: 10 megawatts (both)
ARMOR TYPE:
             Kevlar Composite (M2A3)
             Composite Alloy (M2A4)
ARMOR THICKNESS:
             18 inches (M2A3)
             9 inches (M2A4)
DISPLACEMENT: 20 tons
CREW: 4 (1 Driver, 1 Commander, 2 Gunners)

PROPULSION:

             PRIMARY (TREADS):
             (M2A3)
             1x General Dynamics GD-HT120 (Hydrogen)
             SPEED: 120 mph

             (M2A4)
             1x General Dynamics GD-NT120 (Nuclear)
             SPEED: 120 mph each

WEAPONS:

             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
             (M2A3)
             1x Bophors AC-155 (155-millimeter); Effective Range: 13.1 miles; Payload: 150-round autoloading mechanical tray; ROF: up to 30 rounds per minute.

             SECONDARY (OFFENSIVE):
             2x Kolt RPG-12-5 12-inch RPG launcher; Missile Type: 12-inch laser-guided RPPG (Rocket Propelled Plasma Grenade); Effective Range: 5.7 miles; Payload: 25 rockets each; ROF: 1, 2, 3, 4, or up to 5 rockets every two seconds each launcher.

             PRIMARY (DEFENSIVE):
             1x Turret-mounted ESR-45 17.5-millimeter GPMG machine gun; Effective Range: 560-1120 yards; Payload: 500 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition from an autoloading belt-fed box magazine; ROF: Fully automatic with a rate of up to 6000 rounds per minute.

             PRIMARY (OFFENSIVE):
             (M2A4)
             1x Militia Military Industries MMI AC-200; Effective Range: 21.8 miles; Payload: 200-round autoloading mechanical tray; ROF: up to 30 rounds per minute.

             SECONDARY (OFFENSIVE):
             2x MMI RPG-12-5 12-inch RPG launcher; Missile Type: 12-inch laser-guided RPPG; Effective Range: 6.8 miles; Payload: 25 rockets each; ROF: 1, 2, 3, 4, or up to 5 rockets every two seconds each launcher.

             PRIMARY (DEFENSIVE):
             1x Turret-mounted ESR-52 21-millimeter heavy machine gun; Effective Range: 672-1344 yards; Payload: 500-round autoloading belt-fed from drum magazine; ROF: Fully automatic with a rate of up to 600 rounds per minute.

ELECTRONICS: (Both Models)
              1x Basic Radio Communications array with a 1200-mile range.
              1x Simple RADAR array with a range of 500 miles.

Description/Overview:
         (M2 Series)
         The history of the M2 General Michael ArmorStrong series of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) started with the M1 Abrams series of MBTs. The original M2s were built during the World War III era of the 2020s as a more compact version of the M1A4 Abrams. The M2 was phased out during that conflict. The second version of the General ArmorStrong tank, the M2A1, was simply an M2 with improved armor and computers that allowed cyborgs to link with the tank’s digital battlesystems. This allowed the crew of the tank to see through the “eyes” of their vehicle, thus improving its performance considerably, but also placing the vehicle at risk to computer-hackers and enemy cyberwarfare units. The M2 and M2A1 were armed with a 120-millimeter smoothbore autocannon that was identical to the original M1A2 Abrams weapon. This autocannon type had served the M1 Abrams series well, but was proven inadequate against the newly introduced mobile tanks of China, Russia, and other corporatist nations of the day. The old 120-millimeter AC was replaced by the Bophors AC-155, 155-millimeter autocannon during World War IV, and thus the M2A2 upgrade was born. The M2A2 was mass produced during the World War IV era of the 2030s and remained the main line battle tank of the United States of America until the Asian-Pacific Conflict of the 2040s.
         (M2A3)
         It was during the Asian-Pacific Conflict that the United States introduced the M2A3 main battle tank into service. This new tank was fitted with upgraded electronics, weapons, and powerplant systems designed to deal with cyborg-soldiers of the Cyber-State Society that threatened to consume the whole of Asia.
         The United States built 12,000 plus M2A3s between 2045 A.D. and 2055 A.D. Nearly seven thousand were either scrapped or destroyed by the new UN Type-55 Hover MBTs during the 2055-56 time period. None of these tanks remained in service with the EFR after the Great War had ended. Their hydrogen internal combustion engines were unusable in the dust-choked atmosphere of the post-impact Earth environment.
         (M2A4)
         The M2A4 was designed in 2055 AD in response to the UN Type-55 hovertanks, which were decimating the USNA M2A3 force of MBTs. However, the M2A4 was not introduced into military service until after the devastation of the planetoid impact on Earth. The tank was originally built by factions of the old United States of North America in 2057 AD, and the United States Space Navy in space. However, the Earth Federal Republic chose to produce this design in significant numbers while their Main Battle Robot program was under development. The EFR needed large numbers of this nuclear-powered tank to protect the surface entrances of their various underground bases from the UNSC surviving forces during the post-impact period of the late 2050s and throughout the 2060s. This tank was used in conjunction with the MAT-48A2/A3 “Gen. Patton 2” Mobile Arthropod Tank, which was also a nuclear-powered combat unit. The M2A4 was equipped with a newer suspension specifically designed to handle off-road terrain and soft surfaces like those found on the Earth’s moon, Luna, the planet Mars, and the desolate wastes of post-impact Earth.