Poland will acquire 116 Abrams tanks from the United States, Defense 24 reports. These vehicles are intended to replenish stocks of equipment after the Polish side handed over more than 230 of its own tanks to Ukraine. Payment will be made at the expense of US financial support.
Yakub Palovsky
As it became known to the portal Defence24.pl Poland will purchase tanks from the United States at the expense of funds transferred to the Polish side by the Americans in connection with military operations in Ukraine.
In response to the publication's request, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova reported that: "the funds coming from the American Foreign Military Financing Fund (FMF) represent targeted support, and one of the intended areas of their application is financing the contract for the supply of M1A1 ABRAMS tanks to the Polish Armed Forces."
Thus, the assumptions were confirmed that the funds in the amount of $ 288.6 million approved by the US Congress at the end of September will be used, in particular, for the purchase of 116 M1A1 SA Abrams tanks for the Polish army. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova has begun negotiations on the supply of these vehicles for the earliest replenishment of equipment. Such a need arose after the Polish side handed over to Ukraine more than 230 of its own T-72M/M1/M1R tanks, as well as a number of PT-91 Twardy.
The M1A1 SA is an old version of the Abrams, but has undergone modernization, in particular, in the field of fire control systems and interior protection. It is still used, in particular, in the units of the National Guard, including those who served in Ozhish and Bemov Pisk in 2018-2019 as part of the NATO battalion combat group. According to preliminary statements by the Ministry of Defense, the first tanks should arrive in Poland next year.
As the inspector of the Ground Forces and commissioner for the introduction of Abrams tanks, Divisional General Maciej Yablonski, said in a conversation with the publication: "116 M1A1 tanks also have a full package of support and support. That is, there are accompanying bridges, the so-called Joint Assault Bridge, M88A2 Hercules maintenance vehicles, as well as command vehicles. Together with a batch of 116 tanks, we are also acquiring a large logistics package and simulators." General Yablonsky added that all Abrams – both old and new M1A2 SEPv3 – will be used in units of the 18th Mechanized Division. In the future, the tanks are supposed to be upgraded.
Recall that Poland purchased 250 M1A2 SEPv3 tanks in April, along with related vehicles, ammunition and a large logistics and training package for $ 4.74 billion. The agreement did not provide for technology transfer and offset obligations.
As for the "Abrams" of the old version, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaschak told the Polsat News channel back in July that Poland was buying M1A1 tanks "on preferential terms." "In principle, we only pay for their return to working condition, since they are currently mothballed, as well as for the logistics package and spare parts." However, at the moment the value of the contract is unknown. "The total cost of the order will be determined in the offer agreement (LOA)," the Operational Center of the Ministry of Defense said. That is, the agreement had yet to be approved.
Foreign Military Financing is a tool for financing the defense potential of US allies. Among its largest beneficiaries, in particular, Israel and Egypt, but Poland also received equipment earlier as part of the FMF (for example, a package of modifications and training accompanying the first C-130E Hercules). The funds in the amount of $288.6 million are part of a $2.2 billion pool intended to be transferred to Ukraine and 17 other countries in the region due to the threat from Russia. For example, the Czech Republic, which transferred Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine and replaced them with American AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom, received $ 100 million from this pool.
