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Breaking News: US Army will test first M1E3 Abrams tank prototypes in 2026 to learn from the Ukrainian war.
As reported by Defense Daily on September 9, 2025, the US Army has decided to accelerate the M1E3 Abrams modernization program, with four prototypes scheduled to enter Army formations in 2026, a major shift from the earlier 2030 projection. General Randy George, Army Chief of Staff, stated at the Maneuver Warfighter Conference 2025 in Fort Benning that the prototypes would be “inside of our formation” next year, reducing the original 65-month schedule by at least two-thirds.
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To ensure that the Abrams tank remains relevant in the future, the M1E3 will be lighter, easier to upgrade, and better protected, especially through the use of artificial intelligence and active protection systems. (Picture source: US DoD)
The US Army described the prototypes as software-driven, modular, and designed for a smaller crew, with integrated active protection systems to counter anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and drone threats. Once received, the prototypes will be tested in operational formations to determine final requirements. No decision has been made on which units will be the first to operate them, but the goal is to embed soldier input at an early stage rather than later in the process. The M1E3 Abrams program was initiated after the Army closed out the M1A2 SEPv4 upgrade line in September 2023. Leaders concluded that the Abrams could not accommodate further capabilities without adding weight and increasing logistical burdens, a limitation that became more apparent with combat experiences in Ukraine.
The US Army announced that it would continue M1A2 SEPv3 production at a reduced rate until the transition to the new platform, which remains the principal tank in Armored Brigade Combat Teams. The Active Army fields 11 ABCTs, and the Army National Guard fields 5 ABCTs, each with 87 Abrams tanks. The Abrams program began in the early 1970s, and the M1A2 entered service in the early 1990s. Abrams have also been exported to partners including Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, and 31 were delivered to Ukraine in 2023. A $4.6 billion contract awarded in 2020 funds SEPv3 upgrades scheduled to continue until June 2028.
The design objectives for the M1E3 reflect the recommendations of a 2019 Army Science Board study that proposed a seven-year, $2.9 billion investment for a fifth-generation combat vehicle. Potential capabilities include a hybrid-electric drive, an autoloader and new main gun, advanced munitions such as maneuvering hypersonic rounds and gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles, integrated armor protection, improved command and control networking, AI applications, compatibility with robotic vehicles, and reduced thermal and electromagnetic signatures. The AbramsX demonstrator, unveiled by General Dynamics Land Systems in 2022, provides a foundation for these objectives. AbramsX featured a weight reduction of 10 tons, a hybrid-electric diesel engine that improved fuel efficiency by 50 percent, an unmanned turret reducing crew size from four to three, AI-supported long-range threat detection and fire prioritization, communications with unmanned aerial vehicles, and enhanced protection against drone-dropped munitions. While not all features will transition directly, AbramsX confirmed the technical feasibility of several key design paths.
The US Army awarded GDLS a $150 million Abrams Engineering Program contract in May 2024 to develop technologies that will flow into the M1E3. The work is scheduled to be completed by June 2027 and includes efforts to reduce space, weight, and power demands while improving armor and survivability. It also emphasizes modular open-systems architecture, allowing faster and cheaper upgrades, and calls for integrating an autoloader into the turret to enable a three-person crew. Autoloader development is considered a unique technological challenge and may delay that aspect of the design. The program also aims to integrate active protection systems directly into the platform, unlike the Israeli Trophy APS that was previously added as a kit. The Army intends to align M1E3 fielding with the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle program, using shared timelines and technology development milestones.
In support of industrial planning, the Army issued multiple market surveys in 2025. A May 2025 survey sought industry input on capabilities in tracked vehicle production, configuration management, predictive logistics, digital engineering, quality systems, and secure handling of classified information. The survey set a May 22 deadline and required evidence of facilities, tooling, and workforce skills for vehicle assembly, verification, and testing. A later survey in August 2025 focused on component kit production, installation, and testing of new technologies. Contractors were asked to demonstrate experience with fire control systems, powertrains, stabilization equipment, electronic modules, and the handling of rolled homogeneous armor, high hard armor steel, and titanium plate. The Army emphasized the need for ISO-certified quality systems or equivalent and sought evidence of facility clearances for classified work. These steps reflect the intent to maintain industrial readiness while SEPv3 continues at a reduced rate until full M1E3 production begins.
Congressional oversight questions highlighted by the Congressional Research Service include how funds appropriated for SEPv3 will be reallocated, what impact the transition will have on smaller suppliers, whether the M1E3 will replace Abrams one-for-one or result in a mixed fleet, and how many years it will take to field M1E3 across all ABCTs. Additional questions include whether Army National Guard units will receive the M1E3 and whether the design will be authorized for Foreign Military Sales. The global context underlines the urgency of the US effort. France is pursuing the Leclerc Evolution with a 140 mm ASCALON gun, Germany is advancing the KF51 Panther with a 130 mm gun and drone integration, the UK plans to field Challenger 3 with the Rheinmetall L55A1 120 mm smoothbore gun, and South Korea has shown its K3 concept with hydrogen fuel cells, AI, and an unmanned turret. China is developing a lighter two-person tank with drone integration, while Russia’s T-14 Armata includes an unmanned turret but faces production delays. By designing the M1E3 with lighter weight, integrated protection, hybrid-electric drive, and modular upgrades, the Army intends to keep pace with peer and near-peer developments.
The M1E3 modernization effort is also linked to broader Army initiatives, including the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, the Bradley Hybrid Electric Vehicle, and climate strategy goals to electrify tactical vehicles by 2050, with hybrid systems as interim solutions. The Army argues that a hybrid Abrams will reduce the fuel burden on the battlefield and lower the electromagnetic footprint, increasing survivability against advanced detection. As part of this broader modernization, the M1E3 is expected to be a cornerstone capability for armored formations into the 2040s. While initial operational capability is projected for the early 2030s, the decision to produce four prototypes by 2026 reflects a deliberate attempt to accelerate timelines, accept managed risks, and reform acquisition processes that previously took decades. Whether the program succeeds in meeting both performance goals and schedule will determine its role in shaping future US armored forces.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.