Morocco requests Abrams tank upgrades
The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of enhancements to Morocco's Abrams tanks, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 29 November.
In a package worth $1.25 billion, Morocco has requested enhancements to 162 Abrams tanks to one of the following variants: the M1A1 situational awareness baseline version, the M1A2M, which includes commander’s independent thermal viewer, or the M1A1 US Marine Corps version, which includes slew to cue.
The requested package includes 162 M2 Chrysler mount machine guns; 324 M240 machine guns; 1,035 M865 training SABOT rounds; and 1,610 M831Al HEAT rounds. Also included are 162 export single channel ground and airborne radio systems; 162 RT-1702 receiver transmitters; 162 M250 smoke grenade launchers; M962 .50 calibre rounds; special armour; hunter/killer technology; communication support equipment; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
Morocco procured its Abrams fleet through the US Excess Defense Article programme.
If the sale goes ahead, General Dynamics Land Systems will be the prime contractor.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Australia invests $1.4 billion in additional AMRAAM buy
Some of the missiles ordered can be used on the F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and the F35-A Lightning.
-
US Army seeks nearly $900 million to accelerate development and acquisition of CUAS capabilities
The branch plans to speed up the building and procurement of kinetic and non-kinetic systems for fixed, semi-fixed and on-the-move operations.
-
Large 10×10 vehicles go in search of a role
Wheeled vehicles ranging in size from 4×4 to 8×8 provide high-speed at a good level of mobility compared to tracked. However, tracked can be larger and have a higher level of mobility in marginal terrain with a smaller turning circle. What are the possibilities for a 10×10?