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Really a Light Tank? The M10 Booker, developed by General Dynamics Land Systems, is the U.S. Army’s next-generation light tank designed to bridge the gap between heavy Abrams tanks and lighter, less effective vehicles like the retired M551 Sheridan.

-The Booker features a 105mm cannon, advanced thermal optics, a modern diesel engine, and enhanced survivability against modern threats, including drones.

-Though not intended for tank-on-tank combat, it excels in infantry support roles, targeting enemy troops, fortified positions, and light armored vehicles.

-With plans to field 500 units by 2035, the M10 Booker aims to address the Army’s need for deployable, versatile firepower.

M10 Booker: The U.S. Army’s Answer to Modern Infantry Support Needs

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has developed a light tank (they don’t want it called a light tank, however) that will support infantry units in the future. This tank will better protect US troops and defeat any potential enemy for years to come.

The M10 Booker employs a four-person crew and features an enhanced thermal viewer, a large-caliber 105mm cannon, a lightweight hull and turret, and a modern diesel engine, transmission, and suspension system. It has been designed for capability upgrades based on future operational needs. 

Bridging The Gap:

The M-10 Booker sprang from the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) System that the Army created in 2016 to provide better infantry support. Since the retirement of the M551 Sheridan in 1996, the Army has lacked the lighter, easily deployable armor that bridges the gap from the M1A2 Abrams tanks. 

The Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS) was too lightly armored, and mines or IEDs penetrated its flat hull design too easily. To better protect it, the hull was redesigned with the “V-hull design.” It also suffered from auto-loader issues with its 105mm main gun. 

U.S. Army M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank variation fires at a target at Bucierz Range at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, August 11, 2020. DEFENDER-Europe 20 was designed as a deployment exercise to build strategic readiness in support of the U.S. National Defense Strategy and NATO deterrence objectives. In response to COVID-19, DEFENDER-Europe 20 was modified in size and scope. Phase I of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20 was linked to exercise Allied Spirit, which took place at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 5-19 with approximately 6,000 U.S. and Polish Soldiers. In phase II of the modified DEFENDER-Europe 20, a U.S.-based combined arms battalion will conduct an emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise to Europe July 14-Aug. 22.

While the Booker is designated by many experts a light tank weighing 42 tons, it isn’t really a light tank. It will not function as a main battle tank but as an infantry support platform, similar to infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and light armored vehicles (LAVs).

M10 Booker Specifications:

The Army awarded GDLS a $300 million contract for additional Bookers, which are expected to be fielded in 2025. 500 of the vehicles are planned to be fielded by 2035. The specifications for the M10 Booker are:

-Weight: about 40 tons
-Main armament: 1 × 105 mm M35 tank gun
-Secondary armament: 1 × .50 caliber M2HB heavy machine gun,1 × 7.62 mm M240B machine gun
-Engine: Diesel MTU 8V199 TE23 15.9 L, 800 hp (600 kW)
-Transmission: Allison Transmission 3040 MX cross-drive
-Suspension: Hydropneumatic about 60 tons
-Operational range: 250–350 mi (400–560 km)
-Maximum speed: 45 mph (72 km/h)

Like the M1 Abrams, the M10 Booker will have a crew of four: a commander, gunner, loader, and driver. Because of the increased drone effect in Ukraine, the M-10 will field the latest sensors and optics to protect it from that threat.

M10 Booker Legacy

The M10 Booker is named after Private Robert D. Booker, who posthumously won the Medal of Honor during World War II in Tunisia, and Staff Sergeant Stevon A. Booker, who posthumously earned the Distinguished Service Cross in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

M1 Abrams Tank

U.S. Marines assigned to 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, fire a 120mm smoothbore main gun from an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank during a course of fire at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 30, 2019. The unit conducted marksmanship qualifications as a part of a biannual training exercise to certify tank crews on the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Abrey Liggins)

The designation M-10 may be linked to the WWII-era M10 tank destroyer, which was officially designated the M-10 3-inch (76mm) Gun Motor Carriage. The WWII M-10 was used as a tank destroyer and an infantry support vehicle.

The Army is putting it through exhaustive tests in all environments. Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, said, “We will also put the vehicle through production qualification and testing in desert, arctic, temperate, and tropical conditions, challenging it with obstacles like gaps and walls to scale and engaging it with real-world threats to ensure its survivability.”

Yes, It Is A Tank

While the debate within the Army on whether it is a tank or not, perhaps so troops don’t utilize it as a main battle tank, if it quacks like a duck… etc. It is a tank. The Booker is fully tracked, has a turret that rotates 360 degrees and carries a 105mm gun, like the original Abrams. 

The Booker was not designed to go toe-to-toe with enemy tanks. It is meant to support the infantry with fire support against enemy troops, fortified positions, and defeat lighter armored vehicles. It doesn’t carry troops into battle. 

If used correctly, the M10 Booker, will bridge the gap that the Army has had since the Sheridans were retired. While critics have stated that it is under-gunned in a tank-on-tank scenario, the 105mm still packs a powerful punch and will support Infantry Brigade Combat teams in the future.

About the Author: 

Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 1945, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in other military publications.