The US State Department has approved the possible sale of M1A2 SEPv3 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and associated equipment to the Polish Government for an estimated price of US$6 Bn, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The Polish Government announced its request in July 2021.
According to the DSCA, the Polish Government’s application under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procedure includes:
- 250 ABRAMS MBTs in the latest M1A2 SEPv3 version
- 26 M88A2 HERCULES armoured recovery vehicles
- 17 M1110 armoured bridge layers on M1A1 chassis
- 15 spare engines
Also included are:
- IED defence systems
- machine guns as secondary armament and remotely controllable weapon stations
- almost 30,000 rounds of tank ammunition
- workshop and spare parts equipment
- simulators for crews and logisticians
- support in training and logistics
Poland wants the first examples to be delivered this year. The Polish Army currently uses LEOPARD 2 A4 and A5 MBTs, which are undergoing performance upgrades. This is in addition to T-72 and PT-91 from the Soviet era that are to be replaced.
GWH
