Poland to buy 250 m1A2v3 tanks

[MilEME09]

Poland could purchase M1 Abrams tanks from US

The Polish Armed Forces are reportedly interested in acquiring up to 250 tanks in the M1A2 SEPv3 variant and a further dozen tracked vehicles for training.

www.defensenews.com

I thought our multiple variant situation was bad, but if this deal goes through Poland would operate the leopard 2 and the Abrams while retiring its T-72s and PT-91's.

 

[brihard]

Damn though, that’s a pretty potent tank force if they end up with those dual platforms. If this lets them get rid of obsolete stuff, so much the better.

 

[GR66]

Hmmm....used T-72's...

 

[suffolkowner]

Interesting as I thought the previous intent was for a Polish K2 to replace the old 72's. Maybe there were too many problems getting that program up to speed or do the intend to replace the Leo2 with the K2 later. The T-72's could certainly find a home somewhere I mean it is the most common tank in NATO

 

[Weinie]

Interesting as I thought the previous intent was for a Polish K2 to replace the old 72's. Maybe there were too many problems getting that program up to speed or do the intend to replace the Leo2 with the K2 later. The T-72's could certainly find a home somewhere I mean it is the most common tank in NATO

I read an article on Wiki, translated from Polish, that the Poles wanted to upgrade about 318 of their T-72's to the T-72M1R. They want to have 19 Tank Battalions from the current 12/13. Don't know if current thinking/decision has changed the calculus.

According to the article, Russia still has about 4400 front line tanks that they can put in play. (although to do so would seriously reduce their deterrent effect vis-a-vis China.) More than half are upgraded T-72 variants and newer, which significantly outguns the Poles' current T-72. Don't know much about the M1R, and how well it would do against a T-80/72. I am pretty sure that the LEO 2's and M1's would wreak havoc with most Russian tanks in an Armour-only battle.

 

[medic5]

Why would Poland buy M1s instead of more Leopards? Is there some benefit to mixing the two?

 

[suffolkowner]

Why would Poland buy M1s instead of more Leopards? Is there some benefit to mixing the two?

They've been bumping heads with the Germans on the tanks a bit. Wanting a place at the table on the next one, while at the same time more autonomy with their own according to all the articles I read about the joint venture with the Koreans on their own K2. To the point of the early planning having them using the South Korean engine even

 

[FJAG]

Why would Poland buy M1s instead of more Leopards? Is there some benefit to mixing the two?

The Americans have a nice little forward presence building up in Poland. It's nice to get and stay on their good side.

 

[dapaterson]

...because this is the first ever disagreement between Poland and Germany, right?

 

[FJAG]

...because this is the first ever disagreement between Poland and Germany, right?

The last German deployment to Poland didn't go very well for the Poles.

 

[OldSolduer]

Hmmm....used T-72's...

Don't you even go there!!!

 

[SupersonicMax]

Don't you even go there!!!

Don’t you worry, they are too recent. I’d be worried if they were T-55s.

 

[FJAG]

Don't you even go there!!!

Hey! We have C3s as training guns for the artillery ... at least the T72s are a decade and a half newer.