The next generation of the US Army’s famous Abrams main battle tanks may soon find a maker. Through a questionnaire released by the army’s Ground Combat Systems office, the service is scouting potential manufacturers for the Abrams M1E3 variant.
The survey asks interested firms to detail their experience integrating, installing, and verifying communication and battle command systems in ground combat vehicles.
They are also asked to demonstrate their ability to produce electronic boxes, display assemblies, and power components, along with managing supply chains and quality testing.
The M1E3 will reportedly combine components from previous Abrams generations with newly procured kits, allowing the army to modernize its fleet while keeping the platform modular for future upgrades.
According to Army Chief Technology Officer Alex Miller, production is set to accelerate from an original 65-month timeline to just 30 months.
Debuted in 1980, the M1 Abrams is known for its gun accuracy and heavily armored frame that protects crews from chemical and nuclear threats. It also serves as a safe storage for tactical supplies.
Its first upgrade, the M1A1, can traverse standard terrain at 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour and cross-country at 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) per hour. The M1A2 added an inter-vehicle information system for automatic, continuous data exchange across vehicles.
The new M1E3 is set to modernize the Abrams fleet, with congressional documents indicating possible AI integration, teaming with robotic vehicles, and even hypersonic munitions among the proposed features.
The M1A1 class of the Abrams tanks breaching obstacles. Photo: Sergeant Oscar Martinez
“We must optimize the Abrams’ mobility and survivability to allow the tank to continue to close with and destroy the enemy as the apex predator on future battlefields,” said Brigadier General Geoffrey Norman.
The service projects the M1E3 to be operational by the next decade.
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