GDLS to upgrade more Abrams for US Army
General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has received a $714 million delivery order from the US Army to upgrade an additional 174 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks to the M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3 (SEPv3) configuration, the company announced on 8 January.
The order is part of a contract signed in December 2017, under which the US Army can upgrade up to 435 M1A1 Abrams tanks to the M1A2 SEPv3 configuration. This order brings the total of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks ordered by the army in 2018 to 274.
The upgraded M1A2 SEPv3 configuration has improved communications and networking capabilities, additional electrical power from an auxiliary power unit, upgraded armour, an ammo data link to interface with advanced ammunition and reduced maintenance requirements.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![DSEI 2025: Thales creating new remote weapon station and Storm 2 counter-drone jammer]()
DSEI 2025: Thales creating new remote weapon station and Storm 2 counter-drone jammer
Thales launched Storm-H in 2012 as an EW system equipping individual dismounted troops, and a decade later revealed details to develop the improved and more powerful Storm 2.
-
![The integration between drones and land vehicles is accelerating]()
The integration between drones and land vehicles is accelerating
Drones and military ground vehicles are increasingly being designed to operate together as a single platform or even to convert crewed systems to automated ones.
-
![Denmark shuns US platform as it settles on SAMP/T air defence system]()
Denmark shuns US platform as it settles on SAMP/T air defence system
The acquisition, which is part of the country’s broader defence package worth DKK58 billion (US$9.2 billion), goes against the grain with many other European countries opting for the US’s popular Patriot platform.
