The U.S. Army Contracting Command has awarded a contract worth nearly $4.6 billion to General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. for production of the latest version of Abrams main battle tanks, the U.S. Department of Defense announced this week.
Abrams-maker General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a $4,6 billion contract to produce the M1A2 Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) version 3 (v3) main battle tanks, according to the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcements.
Under the terms of the agreement, work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 17, 2028.
The latest version of iconic U.S. Army main battle tank, also known as the M1A2C, is the third version of the M1A2 System Enhancement Package Abrams tanks.
The list of improvements is lengthy: improved fire control electronics mean the SEPv3’s gun can shoot faster and more accurately; the engine, drivetrain, and tracks have been updated for higher performance and to support the platform’s weight increase.
The newest Abrams is also more heavily armored than previous versions, which necessitates improvements in the power system and suspension.
M1A2 SEPV3 version rectifies many of space, weight and power issues identified during Operation Iraqi Freedom and will be the foundational variant for all future incremental upgrades. In addition to having improved survivability, the Abrams V3 can host any mature technology the Army deems operationally relevant.
