Abrams to get SA upgrade
General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a contract from the US Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command to refurbish and upgrade 150 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to the M1A1 SA (situational awareness) configuration, the company announced on 30 September.
The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract is valued at $358 million. The refurbish and upgraded units will be sold to Morocco.
Under the programme, the main battle tanks are completely disassembled and repaired to bring them a new, zero-mile like condition. These refurbished tanks will have lower cost of support and operations and will have higher operational readiness rates.
With an aim to strengthen the crew’s situational awareness, M1A1s are configured with armour upgrades and additional mission-critical technologies.
The deliveries will start in January 2017 and are expected to be completed in February 2018.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Paris Air Show 2025: MBDA bets on carmaker to help make new one-way effector]()
Paris Air Show 2025: MBDA bets on carmaker to help make new one-way effector
The One-Way Effector (OWE) is a ground-launched missile or drome designed to act as a swarm to overwhelm air defence systems. It was displayed for the first time in Paris this week.
-
![UK artillery factory opens as defence review inches forward]()
UK artillery factory opens as defence review inches forward
The new artillery and howitzer factory pre-dates the emphasis on this capability from this month’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The first joint industry-government meeting outlined in the review took place this week.
-
![Orders roll in for VAMTAC tactical vehicles as first is delivered to New Zealand]()
Orders roll in for VAMTAC tactical vehicles as first is delivered to New Zealand
The VAMTAC (Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico or High Mobility Tactical Vehicle) 4×4 by Urovesa is in service with or has been ordered by eight countries, the most recent being Spain this month and Romania last month.
