TSAMTO, January 12. Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton announced the allocation of 3.5 billion on January 10. Austr. dollars (2.5 billion US dollars) for the implementation of projects for the purchase of OBT (LAND 907 Phase 2) and armored engineering vehicles (LAND 8160 Phase 1) in the USA.
As a result of these projects, the Australian Armed Forces will receive up to 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, 29 M1150 barrier engineering vehicles, 17 M1074 unified assault bridges, 6 M88A2 HERCULES armored recovery vehicles;
According to the Minister, the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams MBT will provide the Australian Armed Forces with high protection and firepower during ground operations. In combination with infantry fighting vehicles, engineering vehicles and self-propelled howitzers, the new Abrams MBT will allow for more successful operations and reduce threats to personnel.
The M1A2 will be equipped with a number of Australian-made systems, including communications, control, computerization and intelligence. The production of tank ammunition will also be carried out in Australia.
As planned, the first batch of armored vehicles will be delivered to Australia in 2024, and the achievement of initial readiness for combat use is expected in 2025.
As reported by TSAMTO, in April 2021, the US State Department approved the potential supply to Australia under the Foreign Military Sales program of 160 stored M1A1 tank hulls for the production of the following end elements: 75 MBT M1A2 SEPv3 "Abrams", 29 M1150 barrier engineering vehicles, 18 M1074 single assault bridges, 6 M88A2 HERCULES armored recovery vehicles, other equipment, weapons and services worth up to $1.685 billion.
It is assumed that the M1A2 SEPv3 MBT will replace 59 M1A1 tanks in service with Australia, and additional M88A2 BREMS will expand the possibilities for the restoration and evacuation of damaged combat vehicles.
The M1150 ABV engineering barrage vehicles and the M1074 unified assault bridges, which are currently not part of the Australian Army, will be used to overcome obstacles on the way of tank units.
59 M1A1 AIM tanks were purchased for the Australian Army in 2007. Given that the DSCA notification states that there are no plans to change the structure of the Australian Armed Forces, probably only 59 MBT M1A2 SEPv3 will be actively used, and the remaining 16 tanks will be put into storage.
Six M88A2 HERCULES BREMS will join the 13 M88A2 vehicles that are already in service in Australia.
