New U.S. Army M1E3 Tank vs. Russia’s ‘Best in the World’ T-14 Armata: Who Wins in 3 Words

Detroit Auto Show Reveals M1E3 Abrams Tech Demonstrator—and a T-14 Armata Problem

In January 2026, the U.S. Army publicly displayed a tech demonstrator of the upcoming M1E3 Abrams at the Detroit Auto Show (the vehicle is not yet even at the prototype stage, contrary to some reports). And, as you can expect, 19FortyFive was there just yesterday, taking all of the M1E3 tank photos in this article. In fact, we have posted a large selection just below. 

M1E3 Tank from the Detroit Auto Show. Photo Taken By 19FortyFive Staff on 1/17/2026.

M1E3 Tank at the Detroit Auto Show. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.

M1E3 Tank at the Detroit Auto Show. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.

M1E3 Tank at the Detroit Auto Show. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.

M1E3 Tank at the Detroit Auto Show. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.

M1E3 Tank at the Detroit Auto Show. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.com

The tank features several departures from previous Abrams models, such as an unmanned turret, a hybrid electric powerplant, and a new autoloader, reducing the crew to three. 

The tank is expected to be the next-generation tank for the U.S. Army, able to go toe-to-toe with the most advanced tanks America’s adversaries can field. But how well does it hold up against tanks like the T-14 Armata, which many in Russia call the best tank in the world?

Survivability

In terms of survivability, the M1E3 is expected to include modular armor packages for different mission types, along with both active and passive protection systems, as part of the survival onion of layered defense. 

The demonstrator shown off in Detroit includes none of these things, though armor will likely be added later in its development. 

The M1E3 reportedly treats survivability as a combination of not being seen, not being hit, not being penetrated, and fighting through damage, each supported by sensors, decoys, networking, and armor/APS layers. At least, this is how the Army described it in their report to Congress.

M1E3 from the Detroit Auto Show. Taken by 19FortyFive.com on 1/17/2026.

The T-14 takes on a similar approach to protection via Afganit hard-kill/soft-kill defenses and a crew capsule protected by reactive and composite armor. 

By removing the crew from the turret and placing ammunition behind armor with blast-mitigation features, a penetration into the turret is less likely to be catastrophic to human life, while active protection intercepts or defeats inbound anti-tank threats. 

There are questions about the effectiveness of the Afghanit system or the various passive protection elements, but on paper, the T-14 incorporates a number of comprehensive protection measures, making it the most well-protected Russian tank ever built.

Mobility

The M1E3 ditches the traditional gas turbine engine in favor of a hybrid diesel-electric powerplant. 

This change directly addresses one of Abrams’s enduring drawbacks in expeditionary operations: an insatiable appetite for fuel that complicates operational tempo and logistics. 

The engine on the new tank is either a C13D or a C18, which produces about 1000-horsepower. The torsion bar suspension is also being replaced with a new hydro-pneumatic system that will reportedly take up less space and weigh less. 

The T-14, meanwhile, utilizes a 12N360 Twin Turbo Diesel engine (which was NOT reverse-engineered from German WWII designs), promising high on-road speeds and cross-country performance for a vehicle weighing 55 tons. It also uses hydropneumatic suspension to reduce its weight. More importantly, the T-14 uses an entirely new gearbox with 12 gears forward, and 12 in reverse, which finally ends the trend of pathetically low reverse speeds on soviet tanks. 

While some analysts have doubted the tank’s performance metrics, there exists enough footage of the tank at training grounds to suggest that, while the engine may not be exactly what the Russians say it is, it is still enough to propel the tank at significant speeds.

Sensors and Situational Awareness

Many aspects of the M1 Abrams are still present in the E3, like its gun, and general armor layout, but electronics is where the new tank is really set to shine. 

The M1E3 is conceived as a node in a larger kill web, with tank-organic and off-board UAV feeds, integrated counter-UAS radar on the remote weapon station, and software-defined growth potential. 

This vision aligns with the Army’s embrace of multi-domain operations, where the tank draws on and contributes to shared situational awareness, long-range fires cueing, and collaborative targeting. The current demonstrator uses Leonardo DRS stabilized commander’s sight and an EOS R400 Mk2 RWS with EchoGuard radar, and APS modules, although these are all subject to change.

The T-14 was also designed to work within networked operations. In terms of sights and sensors, both the commander and gunner are equipped with multispectral sights along with laser range finders. 

T-14 Armata Tank from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

T-14 Armata Tank.

Russian T-14 Armata Tank. Image Credit: Social Media Screenshot.

T-14 Armata Tank from Russia

The commander’s sight provides a 360-degree view, made necessary by the crew accommodations in the armored capsule. The tank has numerous sensors for the APS and laser warning systems and situational awareness. 

According to Russian sources, the T-14 can be integrated into networked operations and receive and fuse information from multiple battlefield sources, boosting crew awareness. The electronics on the T-14 are far more sophisticated and ambitious than those on previous Russian tanks. Thanks to sanctions and Russia’s war economy, it is likely that the Armata’s electronics are one of the larger bottlenecks preventing mass production.

Who Wins in 3 Words: Time Will Tell? 

Comparing these two tanks is difficult given their current circumstances. 

The M1E3 is currently a tech demonstrator with a long development cycle still ahead before it reaches operational status. Meanwhile, the T-14 is a decades-old design that is largely complete but has been placed on the back burner due to Russia’s wartime priorities.

 In its current state, the M1E3 still has many tests to undergo before it is ready to approach the front lines. 

With this in mind, if the two tanks were to mee it combat, the T-14 would likely win due to its more mature design. When the M1E3 is complete, however, things are almost certain to change. 

This may be somewhat controversial, but the T-14 Armata is not a bad tank. In fact, I think its design is quite good (concerns about the unmanned turret aside), as evident by the number of designs that seek to copy some of its features. 

The problem with the T-14 is not its design, but that it is being produced by a Russian industry that is not ready (or perhaps not even interested) to produce it on scale. 

The M1E3, on the other hand, has many good ideas, and I have high hopes for its future. However, as of writing this, the tank still has a long way to go before its design is finalized and its systems are fully integrated.

About the Author: Isaac Seitz 

Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.