Gunnery: Heavy Tank: TC 3-20.31-120 July 2025 Full Size Hardcover – August 3, 2025

GUNNERY: HEAVY TANK TC 3-20.31-120 July 2025 Full Size (8 half by 11 inches)TC 3-20.31-120 provides the details of the integrated weapons training strategy (IWTS) structure specifically designed for U.S. Army heavy tanks. This training circular provides the training strategy for maneuver commanders to train, evaluate, and assess their unit’s overall proficiency at home station. The heavy tank training strategy includes only the critical training events to build crew platform readiness using the IWTS’s standard training structure.The heavy tank training strategy maximizes the training aids, devices, simulators, simulations (TADSS), and live-fire events capabilities in a systematic manner to increase and sustain Soldier and crew proficiency, effectiveness, and lethality. The training strategy is capability-based (Soldier, crew, ammunition, optics/sensors, and weapon system) and maximizes the training resources available across the force.The heavy tank training strategy encompasses all critical training that builds a unit’s ability to shoot, move, and communicate effectively and efficiently. Although units conduct other training as part of their training plan, the critical training path includes only those events that are conducted to ensure the maximum experience is achieved or gained by the trained Soldier and crew.The terms tank, or heavy tank, are applicable to all variants of the M1A2 Abrams series main battle tank within this publication for simplicity. This publication categorizes tanks in three classes based on their chassis, armor protection, primary armament, and weight as:• Heavy tank—a tracked armored vehicle with a 105 millimeter (mm) or larger cannon as its primary armament, and a gross weight over 60 tons.• Its primary purpose is to defeat all types of ground threats including heavy tanks, as well as rotary wing aircraft.• It operates as part of an Armor, mechanized, or heavy Cavalry company/troop formation.• Medium tank—a tracked armored vehicle with a 90mm or larger cannon as its primary armament, with a gross weight between 35 and 60 tons.• Its primary purpose is to defeat all types of ground threats including light and heavy tanks, as well as rotary wing aircraft.• It operates tactically in an Infantry support role with fortification and armor defeating capabilities.• Light tank—a tracked armored vehicle with a 75mm to 105mm cannon as its primary armament, with a gross weight less than 35 tons.• Its primary purpose is to defeat all types of ground threats including light and medium armored wheeled and tracked vehicles, as well as dismounted threats.• It operates tactically in an Infantry support role with light-armor and fortification defeating capabilitiesThe heavy tank training strategy has six training events (called tables) that culminate in their demonstration of proficiency during a live-fire qualification event. Heavy tank training consists of all the training events required to provide the commander with an effective demonstration of crew capabilities, employment skill, and lethality to build unit readiness.Units should maximize their time and resources by designing their heavy tank training plans such that crews train through proficiency to support the section, platoon, and company, whether as an organic small unit, an attachment, or a cross-attachment. This level of synchronization will enable the unit to transition to advanced, higher echelon collective training seamlessly. Introductory figure 1 shows the structure for the heavy tank training strategy. The training strategy described within this publication follows the standard training structure found in TC 3-20.0 and synchronizes with the training principles found in FM 7-0. Read more