Contract moves new Abrams tank forward in the face of cuts
General Dynamics’ AbramsX will inform future development of the M1E3. (Photo: GD)
Several US Army vehicle programmes were axed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plans to transform the US Army, as outlined in the Letter to the Force: Army Transformation Initiative document. However, the new generation Abrams M1E3 main battle tank (MBT) was singled out for survival. But what will it look like?
The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a US$150 million contract in early July to develop new technologies for the force’s next generation Abrams M1E3 MBT, a positive development at a time when other programmes have suffered.
This work is planned to be completed by June 2027 which means the platform could have an initial operating capability by the early 2030s and a full operational capability by 2040.
The contract is positive move for the programme which survived the recent carnage contained in the transition plan. Notably, plans included a reduction in High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, a cut to
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