Poland receives 32 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, expected near Kaliningrad.
Poland has received an additional 32 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams from the US; the total number of SEPv3 and 116 M1A1 FEP in service is now 117. 46.8% of the 250 vehicles ordered has been completed, with delivery expected by the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Polish arms agency announced that a shipment of heavy equipment from the United States has arrived at the port, including 32 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks. These vehicles are expected to be deployed near the Kaliningrad region. With this new shipment, the Polish Army now has 117 M1A2 SEPv3 tanks in service, along with 116 M1A1 FEP tanks.
Main information
- 42.8%? No: According to the Polish Armaments Agency, 46.8% of the order for 250 M1A2 SEPv3 vehicles (signed on April 5, 2022) has been completed.
- The first batch of 28 vehicles arrived by sea in January 2025; the entire deal is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026.
- The new M1A2 SEPv3 tanks belong to the 18th General Tadeusz Buk Mechanized Division, specifically the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade and the 19th Mechanized Brigade.
- According to the plan, the vehicles will be delivered in 2025 and 2026; before being commissioned, they will be taken to the Wojskowe Zaklady Motoryzacyjne facility in Poznan for post-sea transport condition checks.
Contract progress and equipment package components
Poland ordered a total of 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks in 2022 at a total cost of $6 billion, including the tanks and related equipment. The package accompanying the supply stated:
- 250 AN/VLQ-12 CREW Duke improvised mine countermeasures systems.
- 26 M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles
- 17 vehicles crossing the M1110 bridge.
- 276 M2 12.7 mm machine guns
- 500 M240C 7.62 mm machine guns
- 15 AGT1500 gas turbine engines
Force organization and deployment
The new M1A2 SEPv3 tanks have been assigned to the 18th Mechanized Division, including the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade and the 19th Mechanized Brigade. According to published information, they are expected to be deployed near the Kaliningrad region. The increase in the number of modern Abrams tanks in service provides a foundation for vehicle standardization and enhances the armored firepower density of the main units.
Technical assurance and maintenance challenges
Before being put into service, the vehicles are transported to Wojskowe Zaklady Motoryzacyjne in Poznan, where the Regional Competence Center for Abrams Tank Maintenance has been operating for over a year. There, specialists inspect key components to detect any damage that may be caused by the maritime climate.
Despite having a maintenance center, Poland still faces challenges regarding technical assurance. According to published sources, neither Poland nor Europe has a qualified enterprise capable of performing full maintenance and repair of Abrams gas turbine engines. For major malfunctions, the engines must be sent to the United States; according to Militarnyi, the complete overhaul and replacement of components for the AGT1500C gas turbine engine is currently only carried out at the military depot in Anniston, Alabama.
Military impact
The acquisition of 32 additional M1A2 SEPv3s to supplement existing forces helps Poland shorten the contract acquisition timeline and strengthen armored capabilities in the planned deployment area near Kaliningrad. Along with the accompanying technical and logistical support package, the combat readiness of Abrams-equipped units is improved, although the maintenance bottleneck for the gas turbine engines remains dependent on facilities in the United States.
Program data (summary)
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| M1A2 SEPv3 is in service. | 117 vehicles |
| M1A1 FEP is in service. | 116 vehicles |
| Order M1A2 SEPv3 (signed 5/4/2022) | 250 vehicles; 46.8% completed. |
| first batch | 28 vehicles (January 2025) |
| Estimated completion time | Fourth quarter of 2026 |
