I thought, an Iraqi tanks were delivered from the US Army tank battalions and aren't much different from their American analogs (which is still in service)?
No, US can export M1 Abrams only whit Export Armour Pac.[/b] (EAP). One allies take better "export armour" - for example Austalia, other only seriously downgraded export "monkey model" like Irak or Egipt. Propably at least 2-3 gen. behind US ones armour. Those Iraqi shoud be on circa M1A1HA or M1A1 level -so late 1980s. or breaktrought 1990/1980.
About Egyptia ones M1 - Israeli forced modernisation Merkava whit 120mm gun and M332 APFSDS (550-600mm RHA at 2000m) as "good enought" against Egyptian M1. So it says a lot about suspected "quality" of it's armour.
Sorry for posting in english.
Damian can explain more - he knows a lot about M1.