22:50 15 July 2021
Polish Defence Ministry confirms plan to buy M1 Abrams tanks
Poland’s defense minister announced Wednesday that the country will buy 250 M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 tanks from the U.S. to counter Russian military capabilities, confirming previous reports of a planned acquisition.
“So we are ordering the most modern tanks. Tanks available in the best equipped version, tanks that are combat proven, tanks which were constructed to counter the most modern Russian T-14 Armata tanks,” Mariusz Błaszczak said during a military ceremony in Wesoła, as quoted in a statement.
Błaszczak said once the U.S. tanks are delivered to the Polish military, they will be deployed to the country’s eastern area. “These tanks will be in the first line of defense, of course if there will be such a need,” the minister said. Deliveries of the new tanks are expected to begin in 2022. The value of the upcoming deal was not disclosed.
The forthcoming acquisition is to allow Warsaw to replace its outdated Soviet-designed T-72 and PT-91 tanks with a new tracked vehicle platform. Under the plan, the designed contract is to include logistics, training and simulators for Polish troops.
