US Air Force photo by Tech Sgt John Houghton
A US Army M1A1 Abrams tank from A Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, commanded by Capt. William T. Cundy, patrols through Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 13, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Since first coming into service in 1980, the M1 Abrams tank has become a staple of US ground forces. The 67-ton behemoth has since made a name for itself as an incredibly tough, powerful tool that has successfully transitioned from a Cold-War era blunt instrument, to a tactical modern weapon.
In the slides below, find out how the M1 Abrams became, and remains, the king of the battlefield.