Written by Anna Corrente
“An agreement has just been signed, that guarantees the delivery of 250 Abrams tanks in the most modern version for the Polish Army”, said Mariusz Braszczok, the Polish Minister of National Defence, on 5 April 2022. The current agreement has been defined as one of the most extensive military commitments in the history of the Polish armed forces.
Already in July 2021, the government of Poland announced the decision to purchase Abrams tanks from the US General Dynamics, but the final deal was signed only this April. Mark Brzezinski, US Ambassador to Poland who participated in the signing, declared that the Polish-US relations are now stronger than ever.
As agreed in the contract, Warsaw will purchase 250 M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 MBTs with accompanying equipment, including 26 maintenance vehicles M88A2 Hercules, 17 bridges M1074 Joint Assault Bridge, and a full package of training, logistics and ammunition. The value of the order is approximately USD 4.75 billion net, the Polish government revealed.
The M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 is the latest upgrade of the MBT, a new generation of armoured vehicles that features both innovative electronic architecture and power generation systems. The first tanks are expected to arrive in Poland already this year, while the complete delivery will be finalised in 2026.
By 2021, Warsaw has spent about 2.34% of its GDP on defence, entering the top countries for military expenditure within NATO. However, the current situation in Ukraine is alarming Polish leaders, who have decided to reinforce their NATO space in the eastern part of Europe by increasing their country’s defence capabilities. Indeed, the agreement between Poland and General Dynamics has been speeded up after the Russian deployment of land forces in neighbouring Belarus. The event has increased tensions at the European borders. In this regard, Mr Braszczok declared that the Abrams tanks would be delivered to the 18th Mechanized Division, the units located in the Eastern flank of Alliance, to “deter a potential aggressor”.
Bibliography
Army Technology (2022). Poland signs $4.75bn deal to procure 250 Abrams tanks. Available at: https://www.army-technology.com/news/poland-deal-abrams-tanks/
Defence24. Poland Signs for Abrams tanks for $4.7 bn. Available at: https://defence24.com/armed-forces/land-forces/poland-signs-for-abrams-tanks-for-47-bn
Ministry of National Defence of Poland (2022). Abrams for Poland – we reinforce the potential of the Polish Armed Forces. Press statement. Available at: https://www.gov.pl/web/national-defence/abrams-for-poland—we-reinforce-the-potential-of-the-polish-armed-forces Stewart, P. (2022). U.S. announces Abrams tanks for Poland as Russia threat mounts. Reuters. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-announces-abrams-tanks-poland-russia-threat-mounts-2022-02-18/
