The Armed Forces of Poland have received a new batch of M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks from the United States, the Polish Minister of Defense recently confirmed. According to reports, the country incorporated 38 new units as part of a purchase initiated in 2022 that comprises a total of 250 tanks to modernize the backbone of the Polish Army’s armored cavalry.
As stated by Poland’s Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosyniak-Kamysz, on September 11 via his social media, the country received a new batch of Abrams tanks in the most modern version, the M1A2 SEPv3. This batch is part of a contract agreed with Washington in 2022, which includes a total of 250 tanks with the System Enhanced Package 3 (SEPv3) configuration, valued at USD 4.75 billion. Alongside the tanks, the Polish Army also established the incorporation of 26 M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles and 17 M1110 bridge launchers, together with a batch of ammunition consisting of 9,168 120mm M865 practice sabot rounds and 13,920 M830A1 high-explosive rounds.
These newly received units will be added to the 47 already delivered to date, forming a total of 85 acquired tanks. By way of recap, in January of this year the country incorporated an initial batch of 28 combat vehicles, which underwent inspection work at the Poznań Military Automotive Plant prior to entering service. Meanwhile, the second batch of 19 vehicles was received in May, which were also sent to the factory in Poznań. Final deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2026.
In addition to the armored vehicles, this latest shipment included 14 M88A2 Hercules tactical recovery vehicles that will be used to evacuate damaged or disabled tanks from the battlefield. On the other hand, as originally established, the Abrams will be initially assigned to the 18th Mechanized Division, including the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade. The first 28 received are being used for the training and instruction of the initial crews.
Lastly, it is important to mention that the acquisition of Abrams tanks from the U.S. is part of a modernization and capability enhancement project of the Polish Army, which has led to the purchase of other systems. Within that context, various acquisitions have been made, such as 180 K2 Black Panther tanks, 212 K9 Thunder self-propelled artillery vehicles, and nearly 300 K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher systems (designated HOMAR-K), all of South Korean origin, as well as 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks. To these systems must be added locally developed combat vehicles, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, air defense systems, and a long etcetera.
*Cover image used for illustrative purposes
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