Poland is set to receive the latest version of the Abrams M1A2 SEP V3 main battle tank, with plans to equip the vehicles with mine ploughs and combat dozer blades developed by a British company, Pearson Engineering.
The integration of this engineering capability will be facilitated by a vehicle interface kit known as Slice. This system allows the Abrams tanks to quickly accept and operate various front-end equipment, such as mine-clearing ploughs and dozer blades. One of the key features of Slice is its plug-and-play approach, meaning it doesn’t require any modifications to the vehicle, thus ensuring that the tank’s combat capabilities, including lethality and survivability, are unaffected.
Pearson Engineering has been awarded the contract to supply 99 of these capability kits to the Polish armed forces. Business development director Richard Beatson emphasised the importance of agility and flexibility in land manoeuvre operations, adding that the kits will enhance the Abrams tanks’ versatility.
The mine ploughs to be fitted on the tanks span the entire width of the vehicle, allowing them to clear a path through a minefield wide enough for additional vehicles to follow. These ploughs work by lifting and shifting mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) away from the tank’s path, preventing damage to the vehicle and its crew. The combat dozer blades are designed for use in multiple scenarios, including clearing obstacles, dismantling urban roadblocks, and picking up earth to fill holes, thus enhancing the tank’s battlefield mobility.
Poland’s armed forces are expected to receive the M1A2 SEP V3 Abrams tanks later this year. The SEP V3 variant of the Abrams tank has been tested in challenging environments, including during Exercise Diamondback in the Mojave Desert two years ago. The SEP V3 offers better protection, greater survivability, and increased lethality compared to previous models of the M1 series.
The M1A2 is equipped with a 120mm smoothbore main gun, a coaxial machine gun, an M2 Browning .50 calibre machine gun (which has been in service for nearly 90 years), and a 7.62 calibre machine gun for the loader. The Abrams tank’s size is formidable, measuring 9.7 meters in length and 3.7 meters in width, while weighing approximately 68 tonnes.
These enhancements will make Poland’s new fleet of Abrams tanks even more formidable in modern warfare, enabling them to clear obstacles and continue operations in areas with extensive minefields.
