The M-1 Abrams Tank, the M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), and the M-1126 Stryker Combat Vehicle are the centerpieces of the Army's Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs). ABCTs and SBCTs constitute the Army's "heavy" ground forces; they provide varying degrees of armored protection and mobility that the Army's light, airborne (parachute), and air assault (helicopter transported) infantry units that constitute Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) do not possess. These three combat vehicles have a long history of service in the Army. The first M-1 Abrams Tank entered service with the Army in 1980; the M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle in 1981; and the Stryker Combat Vehicle in 2001. Under current Army modernization plans, the Army envisions all three vehicles in service with Active and National Guard forces beyond FY2028. Congress is concerned with the long-term military effectiveness of these vehicles. It is also sensitive to the economic aspect of Abrams, Bradley, and Stryker modernization and recapitalization which are necessary to keep these vehicles operationally effective and in service. Recapitalization and modernization also have an economic impact on the defense industrial base in terms of keeping depots and maintenance facilities operational as Abrams and Bradleys are no longer being manufactured. The M-1 Abrams Tank is designed to close with and destroy enemy armored forces on the battlefield by means of mobility, survivability, and firepower. The M-1 is named for General Creighton Abrams, a noted World War II armored battalion commander who later served as Army Chief of Staff from 1972 to 1974. As Chief of Staff, he led the Army in the final stages of the Vietnam War, supervised Army force reductions, and oversaw the restructuring of the Army. M-1 Abrams Tanks are found in Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs). The M-1 program was initiated in December 1971. In June 1973, two contracts were awarded for prototype development to the Defense Division of Chrysler Corporation (which in 1982 became General Dynamics Land Systems) and the Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors. In February 1976, the Army accepted prototype vehicles from both vendors and operational and engineering testing was conducted through April 1976. In November 1976, the Secretary of the Army announced that the Chrysler Corporation prototype had been selected for Full Scale Engineering Development. The first M-1 tanks—mounting a 105 millimeter main gun—were delivered to the Army in 1980. A total of 2,374 tanks were produced for the Army until February 1985, when production was shifted to the Improved M-1 , which was completed in May 1986. The Army then began acquiring the M-1A1 version, which included a 120 millimeter smoothbore main gun, an integrated Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) protection system, and a number of improvements to the tank's armor protection, transmission, and drive train. A total of 4,796 M-1A1 tanks were built for the Army and 221 for the U.S. Marine Corps. In 1988, General Dynamics Land Systems was awarded a contract for the M-1A2 version, which included improvements such as an Improved Commander's Weapons Station (ICWS); a Commander's Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV); a Position/Navigation System (POS/NAV) and several survivability features. The first M-1A2s began to enter service in late 1992. The Army also upgraded more than 600 M-1s to the M-1A2 configuration between 1996 and 2001. The M1-A2 is the baseline export version of this tank; depending on which country purchases the vehicle, a variety of armor and communications packages are available. The M-1 saw its first combat service during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The majority of the M-1s were the M-1A1 model. A January 1992 Government Accounting Office (GAO) report on the "Early Performance Assessment of Bradley and Abrams," noted: During the war, the Abrams tank exhibited good reliability, lethality, survivability, and mobility, but limited range, according to the observations of commanders, crews, maintenance personnel, and Army after action reports. Reported Army readiness rates for the Abrams were 90 percent or higher during the ground war-indicating a high availability to move, shoot, and communicate during combat. The Abrams was lethal, as crews said its 120-mm gun was accurate and its ammunition deadly against all forms of Iraqi armor. Army observers attribute the gun's high degree of accuracy to superior sights, high levels of tank readiness, and soldier training. The Abrams also survived well on the battlefield. For example, according to officials from the Center for Army Lessons Learned, several M-lAl crews reported receiving direct frontal hits from Iraqi T-72s [tanks] with minimal damage. In fact, the enemy destroyed no Abrams tanks during the Persian Gulf War, according to the Army. Crews said Abrams tanks were fast and maneuvered well in the sand. Abrams crews were impressed with the power and performance of the Abrams' turbine engine, but they were concerned about its high fuel consumption and the need to frequently clean air filters in the sandy desert environment. Refueling was a constant concern, and faulty fuel pumps further compounded the problem. The harsh desert environment demanded frequent air filter cleaning because sand-clogged filters reduced engine power and speed. The M-2 Bradley is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) used to transport infantry on the battlefield and provide fire support to dismounted troops and suppress enemy fighting vehicles. The M-2 has a crew of three—commander, gunner, and driver—and carries six fully equipped infantrymen. The M-3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV) performs scouting missions. The M-3 has a three-person crew and carries two scouts. M-2/M-3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles are primarily found in Armored Brigade Combat Teams. In April 1972, the Army issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new IFV. In November 1972, an Engineering Development and Advanced Production Engineering contract was awarded to the Ordnance Division of the FMC Corporation (now BAE Systems, U.S. Combat Systems). The program was later renamed the Fighting Vehicle System (FVS) program and under this program, the M-2 IFV and M-3 CFV were to be developed and produced. The first M-2 prototypes were turned over to the Army in December 1978 and the first delivery of M-2s for Army units started in May 1981. In October 1981, the M-2/M-3 Fighting Vehicles were named the Bradley Fighting Vehicle after the late General of the Army, General Omar N. Bradley. In May 1986, the Army began to receive the M-2A1 and M-3A1 Bradley versions, which included an improved NBC protection system and a number of ergonomic improvements. In 1986, the Army began the M-2A2 and M-3A2 upgrade program, which included upgraded survivability features as well as transmission modifications and a new engine. In 1995, as a result of Operation Desert Storm, a number of improvements began to be incorporated into the M-2A2/M-3A2 Operation Desert Storm (ODS) version. While existing Bradleys were being modified to the ODS version, the last production version of the Bradley was handed over to the Army in February 1995 with a total of 6,385 M-2/M-3 Bradleys being produced for the Army. Since February 1995, all "new" Bradley fighting vehicles have been refurbished vehicles. The M-2/M-3 Bradley saw its first combat service during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The majority of the M-2/M-3s were the A2 model and many units that deployed with the A1 version were provided the A2 versions when they became available. A January 1992 Government Accounting Office (GAO) report on the "Early Performance Assessment of Bradley and Abrams," noted: The Bradley Fighting Vehicle performed well during the war, according to the observations of commanders, crews, maintenance personnel, and Army after action reports. It exhibited good reliability, lethality, mobility, and range, and crews perceived the A2 model to have good survivability. The Army reported readiness rates for the Bradley that were generally 90 percent or higher during the ground war-indicating its high availability to move, shoot, and communicate during combat. The Bradley proved to be lethal, as crews reported that its 25-mm automatic gun was effective against a variety of targets and that its Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missile system was able to destroy tanks. Crews also said the Bradley was fast, maneuvered well in the desert terrain, and exhibited good range. The A2 high survivability model Bradley was praised for its added engine power and maneuverability, and crews felt safer with its increased armor protection. Although crews were very satisfied with the Bradley's performance, they identified various hardware deficiencies that they believe should be fixed, though these problems usually did not stop the system in combat. Army officials were aware of most of them-leaking radiators, unreliable heaters, and misdirected exhaust-and are planning or are implementing corrective actions. Army crews also identified other needed vehicle improvements, such as the addition of a laser range finder and an identification of friend or foe system, better sight magnification and resolution, and a faster reverse speed. The Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled combat vehicles based on the Canadian LAV III 8x8 light armored vehicle.