The Army announced the completion of an Abrams tank prototype, known as the M1E3, this week on social media.
Social media accounts posted imagery of the new technology, and one account said that testing would start in early this year. The Army confirmed that the accounts were official.
“This milestone proves the Army’s ability to rapidly apply lessons learned and deliver enabling technologies to Soldiers faster than ever before,” the caption of one post read, also adding that the prototype was produced by Roush.
The Army highlighted the prototype’s “advanced software integration,” “enhanced mobility” and “unmatched lethality,” as core features.
The post included two grayscale images of the tank that appear to show two perspectives of the turret. Both are zoomed-in and neither shows the entirety of the prototype.
The posts did not include technical specifications, cost estimates or detail exactly how the M1E3 differs from existing Abrams tanks.
The Army requested $723.5 million for Abrams modernization efforts for fiscal year 2026. For 46 years, the Abrams tank has been a workhorse for the Army, but in the past decade there have been calls for an overhaul and modernization.
In 2023, the Army announced that it would cease an earlier Abrams upgrade effort to focus on developing the M1E3. The statement at the time said “initial operational capacity,” was expected in the early 2030s.
“The Abrams Tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical footprint,” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems at that time said in the 2023 statement, adding, “the war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for Soldiers, built from within instead of adding on.”
Eve Sampson is a reporter and former Army officer. She has covered conflict across the world, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Associated Press.
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