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Micro-blogging site <keyword id="6354616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="twitter" source="Orion">Twitter</keyword> will no longer automatically refresh timelines on the web with new tweets and users can now decide when they want to load new tweets.<br /><br />Twitter acknowledged that in the past, tweets would often disappear from view mid-read when a user's timeline would automatically refresh.<br /><br />Now, users can load new <keyword id="6354904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tweet" source="Orion">tweet</keyword>s when they want to by clicking on the tweet counter bar at the top of their timelines, reports TechCrunch.<br /><br />In September, the company noted it would be rolling out updates to the way it displays tweets so that they would not disappear while users were still reading them.<br /><br />It is worth pointing out that Twitter's iOS and Android apps also do not automatically refresh users' timelines when they open up the app. Instead, users can click on the highlighted home button on the navigation bar to load new tweets.<br /><br />Twitter also recently announced that it will no longer automatically crop image previews on the web, after rolling out full-size image previews on mobile earlier this year.<br /><br />On Twitter for the web, images will now display in full without any cropping. Instead of gambling on how an image will show up in the timeline, images will look just like they did when you shot them.<br /><br />These tweaks come as Twitter has been working to enhance its platform and make its services more accessible.<br /><br /><b>SEE ALSO:</b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/jpmorgan-takes-tesla-to-court-over-elon-musks-2018-tweets-demands-162-million/articleshow/87729405.cms">JPMorgan takes Tesla to court over Elon Musk’s 2018 tweets ⁠— demands $162 million</a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ryan-cohens-twitter-is-starting-to-look-like-elon-musks-and-gamestops-retail-traders-are-loving-it/articleshow/87725391.cms">Ryan Cohen's Twitter is starting to look like Elon Musk's, and GameStop's retail traders are loving it</a></b><br />

Twitter stops auto-loading new tweets on web

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Prominent German defense firm Rheinmetall is offering Ukraine its new Panther Kf51 tank.</li><li>The KF51 would leapfrog the other older Western-made tanks that are being sent to Ukraine.</li></ul><p>While Ukraine waits on the older <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/western-armored-vehicles-going-to-ukraine-to-fight-russian-onslaught-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Abrams and Leopard tanks</a> that the US and Europe have promised to deliver, it may have the opportunity to buy a cutting-edge German tank.</p><p>Acquiring the next-generation Panther KF51 would give Ukraine the chance to leapfrog the older tanks that Western donors are sending — as well as the mostly Cold War-era tanks that Ukraine already uses — but taking on an unproven vehicle could further tax Ukraine's military as it struggles to incorporate older Western tank models into its armed forces. </p><p>Rheinmetall, the prominent German arms firm that developed the <a href="https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/systems_and_products/vehicle_systems/armoured_tracked_vehicles/panther_kf51/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KF51</a>, seems confident the idea could work. Its CEO, Armin Papperger, told the German business <a href="https://www-handelsblatt-com.translate.goog/unternehmen/industrie/interview-wird-die-ukraine-der-erste-kunde-fuer-den-panther-von-rheinmetall/28970680.html?_x_tr_sl=de&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en&amp;_x_tr_pto=wapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper Handelsblatt</a> that the Panther could be delivered to Ukraine "in 15 to 18 months."</p><p>"We are talking to Kyiv about exporting the Panther," Papperger said. Interestingly, Papperger said that Ukraine had also expressed interest in Rheinmetall's next-generation <a href="https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/systems_and_products/vehicle_systems/armoured_tracked_vehicles/lynx/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lynx infantry fighting vehicle</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Rheinmetall Panther KF51 main battle tank" height="1133" width="1511" msid="98528982" hostid="261"></div><p>Rheinmetall is reportedly negotiating with Ukraine to build a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/rheinmetall-talks-building-tank-factory-ukraine-report-2023-03-04/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tank factory</a> there, though it's not clear whether it would produce the Panther or the older Leopard 2 tank.</p><p>The KF51 Panther is a new tank with some old features. Its hull is based on the Leopard 2, which debuted in 1979. But the turret contains Rheinmetall's next-generation <a href="https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/systems_and_products/weapons_and_ammunition/direct_fire/large_calibre/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Future Gun System</a>, a 130 mm smoothbore cannon that replaces the standard 120mm found on Western tanks such as the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/western-tanks-being-sent-to-ukraine-have-unique-maintenance-needs-2023-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and the Challenger 2</a>.</p><p>The Panther also has advanced features, including launchers for HERO 120 loitering munitions that give the tank an onboard kamikaze drone capability. Sophisticated networking capabilities allow it to be integrated into detect-and-shoot kill chains and the ability to control "wingman" unmanned-ground vehicles that provide capabilities "such as platoon-level air and drone defense," according to Rheinmetall, which describes the Panther as a "truly software-defined tank."</p><p>Rheinmetall presented the Panther at a Paris trade fair last summer and "touted it as the strongest battle tank in the world," according to Handelsblatt.</p><div type="image" title="German Leopard 2 main battle tank" height="1174" width="2000" msid="98528984" hostid="261"></div><p>Two aspects of the Kf51 stand out. One is the autoloader that replaces the crew member who loads shells into the main gun, enabling the tank to have a crew of three rather than the four usually found in Western tanks — Russian tanks also use an autoloader <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/battlefield-video-shows-ukrainian-tank-defeating-russian-tank-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for a crew of three</a>.</p><p>Like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-army-next-main-battle-tank-may-be-abramsx-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next-generation Abrams tank</a>, the Panther's turret can be unmanned, with its crew operating the vehicle behind the thicker armor of the tank's hull.</p><p>Perhaps not coincidentally, an unmanned turret and onboard drones are also a feature of Russia's next-generation <a href="https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/Russia/T-14-armata.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T-14 Armata tank</a>, which first appeared in 2014. Russia's army has only bought a few T-14s, possibly because of the high price as well as production and mechanical issues. The Kremlin <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-wants-armata-tank-ukraine-but-scared-to-use-combat-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also appears reluctant</a> to commit T-14s to combat in Ukraine.</p><p>It's also notable that the Panther has a combat weight of just 59 tons. This is lighter than the latest Leopard 2A7, which is 67 tons, and Abrams and Challenger, which weigh 70 to 80 tons, both of which Ukraine is slated to receive. Lighter vehicles can more easily cross bridges or muddy terrain, which are key considerations on Ukrainian battlefields.</p><div type="image" title="Rheinmetall Panther KF51 main battle tank" height="1333" width="2000" msid="98528985" hostid="261"></div><p>But tank design is about tradeoffs, especially when it comes to weight.</p><p>One reason the KF51 is slimmer is because — just like the Leopard 2 — it is not as thickly armored as the Abrams and Challenger. Instead of bulky armor plates, the Panther relies more on active and passive-protection systems, such as jammers, smokescreens, and projectiles to destroy incoming anti-tank rockets.</p><p>There is no doubt that Ukraine needs more tanks. Russia has lost almost 2,000 tanks since the war began a year ago, according to a tally by the open-source <a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-ukrainian.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website Oryx</a>, but Ukraine has lost almost 500 tanks.</p><p>While Ukraine has been able to replenish some losses by putting more than 500 captured Russian tanks into service, it is still going to need foreign vehicles as the Soviet-era designs it had before the war are destroyed or worn out.</p><p>Nonetheless, one consideration for Ukraine — and any foreign donors who would subsidize its purchase — is that no military has yet bought the Kf51.</p><p>Even the best new weapons have teething problems. If Ukraine becomes the first to field the Panther, then it will become the first to deal with the inevitable bugs. With all the challenges that Ukraine already faces, that's a gamble.</p><p><em>Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fmipeck%2F&amp;amazonTrackingID=null&amp;site=bi&amp;vikingID=63a0ec69c4cc6f36ff0dbbd6&amp;platform=browser&amp;sc=false&amp;disabled=false&amp;sessionID=1666393597540n9zaize3&amp;postID=6408c8b0a5f1ba77bb0f75de" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener sponsored">LinkedIn</a>.</em></p>

A German company is offering Ukraine the benefit &mdash; and burden &mdash; of being the first military to get its brand-new tank

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Western countries have committed to provide dozens of tanks to Ukraine in recent weeks.</li><li>France is also considering sending its Leclerc tanks to Ukraine.</li></ul><p>With several Western nations <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/western-armored-vehicles-going-to-ukraine-to-fight-russian-onslaught-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already pledging tanks for Ukraine</a>, speculation is mounting that France may send its Leclerc main battle tanks.</p><p>But French defense officials question how useful the Leclerc would be, as Ukrainians already face the challenge of incorporating multiple Western tanks, including the US's M1 Abrams, Britain's Challenger 2, and Germany's Leopard 2.</p><p>These designs are more complex than the Soviet- and Russian-designed tanks that Ukraine had before the war, thus requiring Ukrainian crews to learn new equipment, tactics, and maintenance. Those concerns appear to trump previous worries that supplying tanks to Ukraine could inflame disputes within NATO or provoke Russian retaliation.</p><p>"There's no political objection," a French defense official <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/01/25/france-considering-sending-leclerc-tanks-to-ukraine_6013061_7.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> news service Agence France-Presse this week. "We are just wondering whether the Leclerc would be a poisoned chalice. The aim is to be useful and effective."</p><div type="image" title="French Leclerc tank Champs-Elysees in Paris during Bastille Day" height="1289" width="1719" msid="97361444" hostid="261" sizebytes="209230"></div><p>Ukraine would beg to differ. Desperate for any tanks they can get, Ukrainian troops would gladly take the Leclerc, one of the more advanced tanks in the world.</p><p><a href="https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/France/AMX-56_Leclerc.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Designed for speed and firepower</a>, the Leclerc can use its French-designed 120 mm smoothbore cannon and advanced sensors to engage targets while on the move. The latest version of the Leclerc can reach a speed of 50 mph and destroy a target as far as 2.5 miles away, the commander of a French tank regiment told <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/01/26/why-france-is-hesitating-to-deliver-leclerc-tanks-to-ukraine_6013168_4.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Le Monde</a>.</p><p>As with other French weapons through the years, the Leclerc is a little different than its foreign counterparts.</p><p>Weighing in at around 57 tons, it is smaller and lighter than the 80-ton M1A3 Abrams, the 64-ton Challenger 2, and the 62-ton Leopard 2. It is probably less well armored than a late-model Abrams or Challenger 2, though it does mount Explosive Reactive Armor charges to deflect anti-tank rounds.</p><p>Also unusual is that the Leclerc only has a three-person crew rather than the four typical in Western tanks. (Russia tanks such as the T-72 and T-90 have a crew of three.) The Leclerc, as well as Russian tanks, use an autoloader to feed shells into the cannon.</p><p>While this allows the vehicle to be smaller, the autoloader is more vulnerable to malfunction. It also means one less crewman to stand watch and perform maintenance, which leads to more work for the three-person crew.</p><div type="image" title="French Leclerc tank Hohenfels Germany" height="1333" width="2000" msid="97361446" hostid="261" sizebytes="395666"></div><p>Assessing the performance of the Leclerc is somewhat difficult given the tank's limited combat record. It first entered French service in 1991, when it was considered the most expensive tank in the world, which may have hampered its export prospects.</p><p>Other than France, only the United Arab Emirates purchased the Leclerc (some of which it later <a href="https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_november_2022/army_of_jordan_unveils_its_new_acquisition_of_leclerc_mbt_tanks_during_sofex_2022.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donated to Jordan</a>). The UAE operates 258 vehicles, some of which saw combat when it intervened in Yemen's civil war. Some claim it performed better than the M1 Abrams tanks that Saudi Arabia has used in that conflict.</p><p>Some 862 Leclercs were built before production ceased in 2008: France operates 222, and 50 of those were recently slated for upgrade to the <a href="https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/france-orders-50-upgraded-leclerc-tanks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XLR version</a>.</p><p>The Leclerc's lighter weight may make it more maneuverable than the other Western tanks headed to Ukraine. On the other hand, yet another tank model means the Ukrainian army will have to deal with yet another set of tactical and logistical changes.</p><p>If France only sends a small number of tanks — just as Britain is only sending 14 Challenger 2s — then it would require a lot of overhead for a relatively small combat capability.</p><div type="image" title="French Leclerc tank Kosovo Yugoslavia" height="1318" width="2000" msid="97361447" hostid="261" sizebytes="419272"></div><p>Also significant is that unlike the Abrams and Leopard 2, there are only three nations that operate the Leclerc. Should problems arise with French deliveries, Ukraine would have difficulty finding other sources of vehicles and spare parts.</p><p>Nonetheless, the Leclerc would be a formidable — and probably superior — opponent of Russian tanks such as the T-72 and T-90. At the least, France would be giving Ukraine a real tank.</p><p>The AMX-10RC, which France recently pledged to Ukraine, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/france-is-sending-tank-killing-amx10rc-armored-vehicles-to-ukraine-2023-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been called a "light tank."</a> In reality, it's an armored car with a big cannon but light armor, and it isn't designed for slugging it out with enemy tanks.</p><p>France has also sent <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/foreign-artillery-being-sent-to-ukraine-to-fight-russian-forces-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caesar self-propelled 155 mm howitzers</a>, as well as <a href="https://mil.in.ua/en/news/emmanuel-macron-announced-the-transfer-of-the-crotale-air-defense-system-to-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Crotale</a> mobile anti-aircraft missiles. Ukraine may also receive the more advanced French-Italian <a href="https://www.kyivpost.com/post/5929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAMP-T</a>/Mamba air-defense system. But other than Rafale jet fighters, the most powerful weapon — symbolically and militarily — that France could provide would be Leclerc tanks.</p><p><em>Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fmipeck%2F&amp;amazonTrackingID=null&amp;site=bi&amp;vikingID=63a0ec69c4cc6f36ff0dbbd6&amp;platform=browser&amp;sc=false&amp;disabled=false&amp;sessionID=1666393597540n9zaize3&amp;postID=63c858e39305540c5c69b6fe" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener sponsored">LinkedIn</a>.</em></p>

France may be the next country to send its tanks to Ukraine, but officials worry they could be 'a poisoned chalice'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russian tanks have a design flaw making them susceptible to being decapitated in Ukrainian attacks, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/27/europe/russia-tanks-blown-turrets-intl-hnk-ml/index.html">CNN</a> reported.</li><li>Unlike Western tanks, Russian ones carry multiple shells of ammunition in their turrets.</li></ul><p>Images of destroyed Russian tanks with their turrets blown off have become common since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine.</p><p>Experts say that Russian tanks have a design flaw that makes them vulnerable to being decapitated by Ukrainian attacks, called a "jack-in-the-box effect," <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/27/europe/russia-tanks-blown-turrets-intl-hnk-ml/index.html">CNN</a> reported.</p><p>The issue lies in the fact that Russian tanks carry their supply of up to 40 shells in their turrets, which means that even an indirect hit can cause the entire ammunition store to explode.</p><p>"What we are witnessing with <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>n tanks is a design flaw," Sam Bendett, an adviser with the Russia Studies Program at CNA, told CNN.</p><p>"Any successful hit quickly ignites the ammo causing a massive explosion, and the turret is literally blown off."</p><p>One video posted on Twitter appeared to show a Russian <keyword id="13423580" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tank" source="Orion">tank</keyword> turret that had landed on the fifth floor of an apartment building in Mariupol after an attack.</p><p>A similar video from Chernihiv showed a turret lodged on the second floor of a house.</p><p>The issue is particularly prevalent in Russian-made T-72 and T-80 tanks because they have autoloading mechanisms that typically store about 20 rounds when fully loaded, Steven Zaloga, an expert on Russian and Soviet armor, told military publication <a href="https://taskandpurpose.com/analysis/russian-tanks-ukraine-turrets-blown-off/">Task &amp; Purpose. </a></p><p>He added that the internal volume of Russian tanks is much smaller than Western ones.</p><p>"If you get a penetration to the interior of the tank, there's a high probability you're going to hit something," Zaloga told the outlet.</p><p>it is not a new issue– many Russian-made T-72 tanks used by Iraq during the Gulf wars in 1991 and 2003 were similarly decapitated.</p><p>Nicholas Drummond, a defense industry analyst and former British Army officer, told CNN that Russia hadn't learned the lessons from Iraq, which is why many of its tanks in Ukraine feature similar design flaws.</p><p>The flaw means the Russian tank crews are sitting ducks, Drummond told the outlet.</p><p>"If you don't get out within the first second, you're toast," he said.</p><p>Despite the newer Russian T-80 and T-90 tanks having upgraded armor, they suffered from similar ammunition loading systems problems, making them vulnerable to the same fate.</p><p>The issue also affects other Russian vehicles deployed in Ukraine, such as the BMD-4 infantry fighting vehicle, operated by a crew of three and can carry another five soldiers.</p><p>Drummond told CNN that the vehicle was a "mobile coffin" that was "just obliterated" when hit by a rocket.</p><div type="image" title="Russia's BMD-4M, a new generation amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, seen at a fair in Kubinka town in Moscow, Russia on June 25, 2019." height="1890" width="2835" msid="91206337" hostid="261"></div><p>Open-source intelligence <a href="https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-equipment.html">monitoring website Oryx</a> has documented at least 300 Russian tanks destroyed in Ukraine, and over 280 that have been damaged, abandoned, or captured, as of April 29.</p><p>The site only includes destroyed tanks of which photo or video evidence is available, so the true figure is likely to be much higher. </p><p>British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Monday estimated that Russia had lost as many as 580 tanks in Ukraine.</p><p>The latest statistics, published by the Ukrainian Land Forces, claim 873 Russian tanks have been destroyed, along with 2238 armored vehicles, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10747991/Russia-lost-873-tanks-179-aircraft-21-800-troops-just-two-months-fighting.html">per reports.</a></p>

Ukraine is decapitating Russian tanks due to a 'jack-in-the-box' design flaw, reports say

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US military has fielded the Abrams tank for more than 40 years.</li></ul><p>America's next <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sherman-pershing-abrams-tanks-used-by-the-us-army-2020-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">main battle tank</a> may be a lighter but more high-tech version of the M1 Abrams.</p><p>General Dynamics, which builds the Abrams, recently unveiled an updated version of the M1. In addition to being 20 tons lighter than the most recent version, the M1A3, <a href="https://gdls-nextgen.com/abramsx/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the AbramsX</a> features an unmanned turret and a hybrid-electric engine.</p><p>Though the media has dubbed the AbramsX a "next-generation tank," that's not exactly accurate. The AbramsX is really a technology demonstrator. It began as an internal General Dynamics research project to show how new technologies could be applied to a new tank or retrofitted onto existing tanks.</p><p>Rather than a next-gen armored vehicle, the AbramsX is more of an interim design to span the gap between the Cold War-era designs that still comprise the world's tank fleets and the true next-generation vehicles that will probably be fielded closer to 2050.</p><p>Nonetheless, the AbramsX is a working weapon. "It drives around, it fires, and it performs the functions of a tank," Tim Reese, director of US business development for General Dynamics Land Systems, told Insider. "It's not just a static display."</p><h2>The diet M1</h2><div type="image" title="General Dynamics AbramsX tank" height="1367" width="1823" msid="95343765" hostid="261" sizebytes="222248"></div><p>Tank design is a balance — and a tradeoff — between three factors: firepower, protection, and mobility. For the AbramsX, the biggest goal was addressing a growing problem with the M1, of which more than 10,000 have been built since 1979.</p><p>The Abrams has always been a hefty tank. Even the early M1A1s weighed about 60 tons — compared to Russia's 45-ton T-72 and China's 55-ton Type 99A — but the latest Abrams weighs closer to 80 tons due to upgrades like the Trophy Active Protection System designed to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-tanks-active-protection-systems-great-power-war-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shoot down incoming anti-tank weapons</a>.</p><p>However, "the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/army-orders-more-of-new-m1a2c-abrams-tank-2020-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">M1A2 SEP v2 and v3</a> overall weight growth with full combat load and Trophy APS has introduced transportability and recovery challenges," the Pentagon's <a href="https://www.dote.osd.mil/Annual-Reports/2021-Annual-Report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chief weapons inspector</a> warned in a 2021 report.</p><p>Indeed, the latest Abrams is <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/01/26/creeping-weight-of-abrams-tank-concerns-pentagons-chief-weapons-tester/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now so heavy</a> that it can't be towed by Army recovery vehicles, which means damaged or broken-down tanks might have to be left behind on the battlefield.</p><div type="image" title="Army Abrams tank" height="1429" width="1905" msid="95343766" hostid="261" sizebytes="241606"></div><p>Enter the AbramsX, which is the M1 on a diet. While closely resembling the older models, the new vehicle only weighs 60 tons. Reduced weight offers numerous advantages, including the ability to use bridges that would collapse under a heavier vehicle.</p><p>AbramsX also fits with the Army's new <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/land/2022/03/23/multidomain-operations-concept-will-become-doctrine-this-summer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multi-Domain Operations doctrine</a>. After decades of focusing on counterinsurgency, the new approach envisions large-unit mechanized operations against near-peer foes such as Russia and China.</p><p>The AbramsX cut weight with a series of interrelated upgrades.</p><p>The turret is smaller, which means less heavy armor plating. "Reducing the weight on the Abrams, which was really our primary design goal, required reducing the weight of the armor in the turret," Reese said.</p><div type="image" title="Army National Guard soldiers and Abrams tank" height="1290" width="1720" msid="95343767" hostid="261" sizebytes="119964"></div><p>The turret can be smaller because it is unmanned, with the crew nestled inside the armored hull. Using automation — including an autoloader for the cannon — allows the crew to be reduced from four to three, who now sit side-by-side in in the hull while monitoring multi-panel displays.</p><p>Shrinking the turret "generated some weight savings right off the bat," Reese said.</p><p>The AbramsX replaces the M1's efficient but notoriously fuel-guzzling <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iron-brigade-photos-of-the-m1-abrams-tank-engine-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AGT 1500 gas-turbine engine</a> with a hybrid-electric engine more reminiscent of a Toyota Prius than conventional tank power plants.</p><p>General Dynamics claims the new engine slashes fuel consumption by 50%, improves reliability and ease of maintenance, and allow the tank to operate its electronics — and even perform some limited movement — using quieter battery power.</p><div type="image" title="US Army M1 Abrams tank" height="1365" width="2048" msid="95343768" hostid="261" sizebytes="167462"></div><p>The AbramsX retains a 120 mm cannon as its main armament but replaces the current gun with the lighter XM360 originally developed for the <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/30th-annivesary/2016/10/25/30-years-future-combat-systems-acquisition-gone-wrong/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed Future Combat System</a>. It also has a Kongsberg RS6 remote-controlled weapon station with an XM914 30 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.</p><p>As befits a 21st-century tank design, the AbramsX has some cutting-edge features. It is armed with six <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-sends-ukraine-loitering-drones-for-kamikaze-attacks-on-russia-2022-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Switchblade 300 loitering munitions</a>, known as "kamikaze drones." It also has an artificial-intelligence program — called "Katalyst" — that can help the crew identify and prioritize targets, navigate, and predict future maintenance.</p><p>If this sounds familiar, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-seems-uninterested-in-buying-its-own-t14-armata-tank-2022-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia's T-14 Armata</a>, unveiled in 2015, also had an unmanned turret, a crew of three in the hull, and onboard drones. However, Russia's army has bought few of them, in part due to manufacturing difficulties. Notably, despite Russia's huge tank losses in Ukraine, it has not deployed the Armata there.</p><p>"The difference between us and the Armata is that ours works," Reese said.</p><h2>Now vs. later</h2><div type="image" title="General Dynamics AbramsX tank" height="1100" width="1466" msid="95343769" hostid="261" sizebytes="212528"></div><p>As with any tank design, there are tradeoffs. One reason the AbramsX is lighter is simply because of less armor around the unmanned turret. General Dynamics says it is up to the US government to decide the level of protection.</p><p>"If you keep the armor protection at a very minimal level, that's how we achieve the 60 tons," Reese said. "If you dial the armor protection all the way back up to what it is on an M1 v3 today, the weight goes up above 60 tons."</p><p>To its credit, General Dynamics is not touting the AbramsX as what a next-generation tank should be but rather as a demonstration of what capabilities are available.</p><p>"It's showing the art of the possible with existing technology," said Mark Hu, manager of US business development for GDLS. "What you can get now vs. waiting for 'unobtainium' that may finally become available in 2050 or 2068."</p><p>Whether the US Army will invest in a new tank remains to be seen.</p><p>Images of burning Russian tanks in Ukraine has led to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/drones-in-armenia-azerbaijan-war-raises-doubt-about-tanks-future-2020-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numerous</a> predictions of the tank's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tanks-could-grow-obsolete-russia-ukraine-war-shows-2022-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obsolescence</a>. Those predictions <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2022/09/the-tank-is-not-obsolete-and-other-observations-about-the-future-of-combat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are far from true</a>, though they raise questions about the tank's role in the future.</p><p>If the Army does want the AbramsX, it can have it quickly. "Essentially, all of the capabilities on AbramsX will be ready to build into a new main battle tank, or retrofitted into the current Abrams fleet, within 18 to 24 months," Reese said.</p><p><em>Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master's in political science. Follow him on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fmipeck%2F&amp;amazonTrackingID=null&amp;site=bi&amp;vikingID=6362657dc4cc6f48d56a4ec2&amp;platform=browser&amp;sc=false&amp;disabled=false&amp;sessionID=1666393597540n9zaize3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener sponsored">LinkedIn</a>.</em></p>

America's next main battle tank may be a slimmed-down, high-tech version of the iconic Abrams

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Have you ever been frustrated with how much data Snapchat uses? Do you wish you could be more creative with emojis, but feel inhibited&#xa0;by the character limit Snapchat imposes?</p><p>Good news.</p><p>Snapchat introduced two updates to its app on Monday that address both of these issues, allowing you to save data, and&#xa0;use more emojis in all kinds of interesting ways.&#xa0;</p><h3>"Travel Mode" is a new setting&#xa0;that disables the auto-loading of stories while on a cellular connection. When it's enabled and you're&#xa0;on&#xa0;a cellular connection, you'll have to tap on individual stories for them to load.</h3><p><strong>Here's how you turn it on:</strong></p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>This should save a considerable amount of data for people. Snapchat previously started loading all videos&#xa0;whenever the app was opened.</p><h3>Another update to the app is an&#xa0;enhanced emoji picker that's accessible after you finishing shooting a snap.</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>Adding an emoji used to look like this:</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>Now it looks like this:</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Epic.</p><h3>The best part about the new emoji interface is that it lets you add as many emojis as you want anywhere in your snap.</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>That allows for creative stories like this one:</h3><p><div></div></p><p>Snapchat's latest update with these new features is available now <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapchat/id447188370?mt=8">in the App Store</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snapchat.android&amp;hl=en">Google Play</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jerome-jarre-vine-star-snapchat-2015-2">This guy went from homeless to making $25,000 per Vine</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="xlNnBnczr6dS_g6xSERVGt9En__aupHu" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Snapchat finally found a way to not hog all of your monthly data plan

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Snapchat is one of the hottest social networks on the planet, but&#xa0;a lot of people are freaking out over a big change Snapchat made to its app.</p><p>If you don't know anything about Snapchat, this is the general idea: you take a photo or short video (also called a "snap") and share&#xa0;it with&#xa0;other people. After it's viewed, the snap disappears forever.</p><p>But lately Snapchat has been adding more features to make itself a place for all kinds of entertainment beyond just sending snaps. And it's one of those changes&#xa0;that's made so many people angry.</p><p>Earlier this week, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-is-making-it-easier-for-you-to-watch-live-events-and-news-2015-7">Snapchat tweaked the design of its app</a>&#xa0;to more prominently feature&#xa0;its live events coverage and Discover, a collection of hand-picked media partners that pump out daily content designed specifically for viewing on Snapchat.</p><p>Since the update, the app has been flooded with nearly 2,000 one-star reviews in Apple's App Store, criticizing the decision to place Discover and live events above other people's individual snap stories. The feedback is so negative that Snapchat's average review rating in the App Store has dropped from two-in-a-half to one-in-a-half stars.</p><p>Snapchat did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.</p><h3>"Nobody views the discover page"</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Discover, which includes video and text stories from media partners like CNN, Vice, and The Daily Mail, was previously limited to its own tab to the right of the main Stories window. This meant that if you wanted to see a story from Vice, you had to actively seek it out.</p><p>Now, Discover is lumped in where you view all of your friends' stories, so you see the logos from Snapchat's media partners anytime you want to see a new story.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>"This discover thing is so dumb"</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>&#xa0;"A horrible, useless feature"</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Snapchat has already&#xa0;been criticized heavily for its confusing interface. It's a common complaint among the app's nearly 67,000 one-star App Store reviews. And the last couple of updates don't seem to be making things better.</p><h3>The option to hide live stories has been removed, and people want it back.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></h3><p>Because Snapchat auto-loads some live event stories, people&#xa0;have also complained&#xa0;that the app is&#xa0;using up their valuable data on videos they don't even want to watch.</p><h3>"No one wants to see something that's completely unrelated to what they WANT to see"</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>"It's like you're forcing it down our throats"</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>Reviews are more positive among Android users <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snapchat.android&amp;hl=en">on Google Play</a>.</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Out of nearly three-in-a-half million reviews in the Google Play store, the average rating for Snapchat is four stars. Not bad.</p><h3>But there are still haters.</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><h3>People just don't see the point of Discover.</h3><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div><p><div></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">Does all this mean Snapchat is doomed? Far from it. The Venice, California based startup is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-is-reportedly-raising-650-million-at-a-16-billion-valuation-2015-5">worth an estimated $16 billion</a>&#xa0;and&#xa0;<a href="https://www.snapchat.com/ads">rapidly adding new users</a>.</p><p class="embed-spacer">But are these concerns worth paying attention to? Probably, especially if Snapchat <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-launches-2-cents-video-ads-2015-5">wants its advertising business model to take off</a>. Advertisers&#xa0;are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-discover-ad-rates-2015-3">paying huge&#xa0;rates to be part of Discover</a>, but if the feature doesn't do well, it could be trouble for Snapchat.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-snapchat-cyber-dust-privacy-2015-5">Mark Cuban explains why downloading Snapchat is a huge mistake</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FuMzJkdTpvQYH_d3c-8LMnnwzGDr7n8x" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

You Searched For "twitter autoload" and got 7 results

Twitter stops auto-loading new tweets on web

IANS

A German company is offering Ukraine the benefit and burden — of being the first military to get its brand-new tank

Michael Peck

France may be the next country to send its tanks to Ukraine, but officials worry they could be 'a poisoned chalice'

Michael Peck

Ukraine is decapitating Russian tanks due to a 'jack-in-the-box' design flaw, reports say

Alia Shoaib

America's next main battle tank may be a slimmed-down, high-tech version of the iconic Abrams

Michael Peck

Snapchat finally found a way to not hog all of your monthly data plan

Alex Heath

People are freaking out over a big change Snapchat made to its app

Alex Heath

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You Searched For "twitter autoload" and got 7 results

Twitter stops auto-loading new tweets on web

IANS

A German company is offering Ukraine the benefit and burden &mdash; of being the first military to get its brand-new tank

Michael Peck

France may be the next country to send its tanks to Ukraine, but officials worry they could be 'a poisoned chalice'

Michael Peck

Ukraine is decapitating Russian tanks due to a 'jack-in-the-box' design flaw, reports say

Alia Shoaib

America's next main battle tank may be a slimmed-down, high-tech version of the iconic Abrams

Michael Peck

Snapchat finally found a way to not hog all of your monthly data plan

Alex Heath

People are freaking out over a big change Snapchat made to its app

Alex Heath

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides

A German company is offering Ukraine the benefit and burden — of being the first military to get its brand-new tank