The U.S. Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a contract this month to design a new M1E3 Abrams tank variant that is expected to be lighter and have high-tech capabilities for increased survivability in battle. The goal is to field the new tank simultaneously with the M30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle.
A competition between American Rheinmetall Vehicles and General Dynamics Land Systems is ongoing to build the XM30 vehicle that will replace the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. The Army plans to select a winner by late fiscal 2027 or early fiscal 2028.
The Army’s acquisition branch is reviewing the schedule for the M1E3′s preliminary design. The Army scrapped upgrade plans for the Abrams tank last fall to pursue a more significant modernization effort focused on mobility and survivability.
The new Abrams variant, M1E3, will have innovative features like autoloader capabilities, crew aids, alternate power trains, and active protection systems. The Army aims to reduce the weight of the Abrams tank to under 60 tons and is considering changing the crew configuration to achieve this.
The M1E3 will also include an integrated active protection system for vehicle survivability. Norman said that the Army is ambitious in its plans and is looking to implement technologies like hybrid power trains for reduced fuel consumption and silent operational capabilities.