Do the M1A2s currently serving in Iraq wear CIP panels? Have they ever? Thanks.
The Tamiya OIF kit calls for them, but I am not sure. One of the experts can tell you for sure. Here are some pics, a few of damaged Abrams without them. Wonder if they would be removed from damaged vehicles to prevent the insurgents from stealing them?
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=images&&fr=slv1-&imgsz=all&imgc=&vf=all&va=m1a2&fr=slv1-
The CIPs were mainly used during the initial combat actions with 3ID (no M1A2s in 3ID though, all M1A1s), every vehicle was reqiured to have them. Some of the intital 4ID M1A2s may have had them though. The CIP is designed to identify friendly vhicles in thermal devices by providing a square “cold spot” on the vehicles. They are not used as much now since we are not fighting other armored vehicles, but individual insurgents. It is not incorrect to have them on for a current OIF III vehicle, but it is not as common now.
Ok, thanks. The Trumpeter M1A2 does not have them, so I thought I might have to get aftermarket stuff for it to represent an OIF vehicle.
Well, the type of M1A2 the trumpeter kit represents did not appear during OIF. They were M1A2SEP, a slightly newer variant.
Rob,
Good catch. I missed that too. Was I right about 4ID, 1 CAV, and 3 ACR being the only units having the M1A2 SEP, or have other units fielded them by now too?