The U.S. Army is set to modernize its M1 Abrams tank, which is nearly 40 years old. Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has directed an expedited process for this modernization, as explained by the Army’s chief technology officer, Dr. Alex Miller, in an interview with Defense News. This initiative aims to avoid the bureaucratic delays reminiscent of the past, particularly those depicted in the satire “Pentagon Wars,” which highlighted the dysfunction in the Army’s acquisition processes.
In September 2023, the Army made the pivotal decision to pursue a substantial modernization effort rather than merely upgrade the tank’s mobility and survivability. Following this, a contract was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) in the spring of 2024 for preliminary design work for a new tank variant, tentatively named M1E3. The Army’s vision for this new variant includes making it lighter, better protected, and equipped with an autoloader. Notably, the Army aims to align the M1E3’s fielding timeline with the rollout of its Bradley replacement, the M30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, expected in the early 2030s.
In Miller’s recount of a meeting with the Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems in Detroit approximately 18 months prior, he shared that George was informed it would take 65 months to build the first new tank. Finding this timeline unacceptable, George instructed the team to accelerate the process. The Army now intends to reduce this timeline significantly to 24 to 30 months for delivering the new variant to soldiers.
Miller emphasized the importance of leveraging existing technologies while addressing the challenges of integrating an autoloading capability into the tank. He acknowledged that while the Army has been investigating this problem for a decade, the unique military requirements complicate the solution. Furthermore, there are numerous advancements in commercial heavy machinery that could benefit the tank’s modernization.
The Army is also looking to enhance the Abrams with active protection systems, noting that its current integration of Rafael’s Trophy Active Protection System is not yet fully realized. The modernization efforts extend to improving interior ergonomics and control systems, with Miller suggesting that the cockpit could resemble those of modern Formula 1 cars, exploiting available technology.
The Army plans to award another contract by May to allow GDLS to rapidly select and adopt new capabilities for the modernized tank. Miller expressed a desire to allow industry partners to self-organize around problems rather than being overly specified by the Army, which has historically constrained innovation. He asserted that the Army’s approach would mirror the process for software capabilities, where program managers are trusted to accept appropriate risks.
This initiative is backed by existing funding in the Army’s budget, ensuring that the M1E3 program can proceed within the next five years without delays associated with new funding starts. If successful, this modernization effort could set a precedent for reforms in defense acquisition processes, potentially leading to broader changes in how the Army undertakes similar projects in the future.
