earticle

영어

The deterioration and obsolescence of weapon systems in time are natural and inescapable phenomena. These phenomena need particular attention for systems that have very long development and operation life spans, due to the growing speed of the emergence of new technologies and the changes in their operational environment. This paper presents two case studies on the Abrams and Leopard 2 MBT to determine the trends and implications of their product improvements. Both cases showed that every three to four years, an improved model emerged under the pre-planned improvement program. The improvement of the Abrams tank was basically a consequence of the block development concept coined at the start of the tank’s development. Moreover, Leopard 2 was improved through the KWS 1 and KSW 2 major improvement program. These two leading countries are also undertaking improvement activities to prepare for the future. They are successfully using the product improvement plan as the most economical way to keep the MBT capabilities at their best.