The US Army is fast-tracking the modernization of its iconic M1 Abrams tank, aiming to field a significantly improved variant within 24 to 30 months, down from an original 65-month timeline.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George ordered the acceleration, pushing past the traditional acquisition process to streamline development, Caliber.Az reports US media.

“We don’t want to turn into Pentagon Wars,” said Dr. Alex Miller, the Army’s chief technology officer, referencing the 1998 satire on defense bureaucracy. Miller explained that the Army is now willing to accept calculated risks, cut red tape, and bypass outdated acquisition models in order to rapidly field a modern, combat-ready tank.

The shift in approach began in September 2023, when the Army opted for a more comprehensive upgrade instead of incremental enhancements to mobility and survivability. A contract was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems in spring 2024 to start work on the new variant, known as the M1E3. The desired features include reduced weight, better protection, and an autoloader.

The plan is to align the M1E3’s deployment with the upcoming M30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle in the early 2030s. However, George found the original timeline unacceptable when told it would take over five years to produce the first tank. He ordered immediate revisions.

“In the last two or three months, we’ve been given a lot of latitude… supercharge where you need to supercharge,” said Miller. “Accept risk where it is responsible and pragmatic.”

Miller, alongside Abrams program manager Col. Ryan Howell, is now overseeing efforts to modernize components like drivetrain and power generation—areas where commercial heavy machinery advancements could be leveraged. While a tank autoloader remains a complex and longer-term goal, other improvements, such as integrated active protection systems, are seen as more immediately achievable.

Currently, the Abrams only carries a partially integrated Trophy Active Protection System from Israel’s Rafael, which limits its effectiveness. The Army now aims for full integration in the new variant.

“There’s a lot that works well on the tank,” said Miller, “but 40 years of technological advancement is a lot of ground to cover—we’re finally catching up.”

The Army also wants to integrate active protection into the tank and believes it can go more quickly in that realm as well, he said. The service has only managed to kit out Abrams with Israeli defense firm Rafael’s Trophy Active Protection System. The system is not fully integrated into the tank, which leads to a series of undesirable tradeoffs.

By Tamilla Hasanova

Source: caliber.az