Poland Begins Live Fire with U.S. M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Tanks Strengthening European Tank Dominance.

According to recent information published by Polska Zbrojna, a Polish monthly magazine from the Polish Military Publishing Institute, the Polish Army has conducted its first live-fire exercises with the American-made M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks (MBTs). This milestone marks a significant step in Poland’s broader military modernization strategy and its commitment to fielding a modern and capable armored force.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Polish Army conducts live firing with U.S. M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks for the first time. (Picture source: Polska Zbrojna)

Poland signed a $4.75 billion contract with the United States on April 5, 2022, to acquire 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks. This agreement is one of the largest defense procurement programs in Polish history and includes a comprehensive package featuring 26 M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicles, 17 M1110 Joint Assault Bridges, a significant quantity of ammunition, logistics support, and a full training program for Polish crews and technicians. The first delivery took place on January 17, 2025, when a batch of 28 tanks arrived at the port of Gdynia. These vehicles were subsequently transferred to the Military Automotive Works in Poznań for deprocessing and final technical inspections before entering operational service.

The M1A2 SEPv3 tanks are being deployed with the Polish Land Forces, specifically within the 1st Tank Battalion of the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade stationed in Wesoła. These new tanks are replacing aging Soviet-designed T-72 and PT-91 tanks, which have long been considered obsolete in modern battlefield conditions. The arrival of the Abrams marks a transformative phase for Poland’s armored forces, reinforcing their capabilities with one of the most advanced tank platforms currently in service globally.

The M1A2 SEPv3, also designated as the M1A2C, is the latest and most advanced configuration of the renowned Abrams tank. It features a suite of improvements over previous models, including enhanced survivability through the Next Generation Armor Package and the integration capacity for the Trophy Active Protection System. Although Poland has not yet procured the Trophy system, the tanks are configured to accept this upgrade if needed. Firepower enhancements include the 120mm M256 smoothbore gun capable of firing cutting-edge munitions such as the M829A4 armor-piercing round and the multi-role M1147 Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP) round. Additional upgrades include a modernized fire control system, high-resolution Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensors, improved battlefield networking, and an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) to reduce fuel usage during stationary operations.

Poland's investment in the M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams is part of a broader strategy to replace its fleet of legacy Soviet-era tanks with a multi-platform, high-performance armored force. In addition to the Abrams, Poland has already fielded German-made Leopard 2A5 and Leopard 2PL tanks from Germany and is actively deploying South Korean-made K2 Black Panther tanks, both in their standard configuration and an upcoming Polish-Korean hybrid variant, the K2PL. This layered approach aims to make the Polish Armed Forces the strongest and most modern tank force in Europe, strategically positioned on NATO’s eastern flank.

With the combined operational power of German, Korean, and American-made tanks, Poland is rapidly emerging as a leader in European armored warfare capability. This modernization not only strengthens Poland’s national defense but also enhances NATO’s collective deterrence posture amid rising tensions in Eastern Europe.