Reloading an M1 Abrams tank is no easy feat.
The United States has had many awesome pieces of military hardware over the course of our country's storied history. However, few can compete with the mighty M1 Abrams tank. This machine costs over $6 million brand new and fires either a 105mm or 120mm round from the main gun.
As you might imagine, a gun that big means one huge round.
In the following video, you'll see just how big these rounds are and what a challenge it is to load this gun after every shot.
One might assume a large and sophisticated piece of military hardware like this could simply chamber the next round on its own, but nope, this is a job that is still physically done by a hard-working loader. It must be a stressful job, especially in the heat of battle when other tanks are shooting at you. The cramped quarters just make it even harder.
Luckily for the soldiers here, it appears this was simply a training exercise to prepare for the real deal. We're not military experts, so we didn't catch it at first, but it appears the person shouting the commands to this young man wasn't happy with how fast he was loading the rounds. Nor at the fact he forgot to lift the lever a few times. It seems this young tanker was still learning at the time this video was shot.
Of course, that's why they practice these things before going into the field. We're betting he got faster and better as time went on.
While we're at it, let us just say thanks to this young man and the other soldiers in the tank with him for their service to our country. Seeing your work environment in videos like this helps us appreciate what you do even more. Stay safe out there and come home soon!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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