Poland eyes 25 US-made M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles to clear paths for tanks through minefields.

As reported by Defence 24 on July 28, 2025, Poland is currently analyzing a proposal from the United States concerning the acquisition of 25 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles (ABVs), with the potential transaction to be formalized through an annex to the existing Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) agreement PL-B-UEC. The offer, submitted by the U.S. side in response to a 2023 request from the Polish Armed Forces, is valid only until the end of July 2025, requiring a rapid decision from the Polish authorities.
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The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle is a 72-ton tracked combat engineering vehicle that replaces the standard turret of the Abrams with a reinforced superstructure that mounts two M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC) systems. (Picture source: US DoD)

The offer includes a complete package encompassing the vehicles themselves, training support, spare parts, and logistical assistance. However, the validity of the proposal is limited, with the American offer set to expire at the end of July 2025, which imposes an urgent timeline for Polish decision-makers to finalize the acquisition if they choose to proceed. While no final decision has been announced, interministerial consultations are currently underway to determine financing options. The Armament Agency has stated that although the specific funding source and the exact date of annex signing remain undefined, efforts to advance the project are ongoing.

The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) is a 72-ton tracked engineering vehicle derived from the M1 Abrams tank chassis and designed to create safe lanes through minefields and fortified obstacles. It is equipped with two launchers for M58 Mine Clearing Line Charges (MICLIC), capable of projecting and detonating explosive line charges up to 100–150 meters ahead to neutralize buried mines and improvised explosive devices. These systems clear an 8-meter-wide path through explosive zones. The vehicle also includes a full-width mine plow, measuring approximately 4.6 meters wide, mounted on the front to push debris, soil, and ordnance out of the way. Additionally, the ABV is outfitted with Pearson Engineering’s High Lift Adapter, allowing the rapid attachment and interchange of mission-specific tools such as a combat dozer blade, mine rollers, or other breaching equipment. To ensure operational safety and situational awareness, the ABV integrates a vision suite featuring thermal sensors and day/night cameras, as well as a lane marking system that deploys high-visibility darts to delineate cleared paths. Its only armament consists of a .50 caliber M2 Browning heavy machine gun operated from a protected cupola.

The M1150 ABV, nicknamed The Shredder, was developed following the cancellation of the Grizzly program in 2001 and entered U.S. Marine Corps service in 2008, followed by adoption by the U.S. Army, which eventually became its sole operator after the USMC divested the vehicle in 2023. A total of 239 M1150s were produced, with 45 originally delivered to the Marine Corps and 187 to the Army. Other confirmed and prospective users include Australia with 29 vehicles, Romania with four, Bahrain with eight, and most recently, Ukraine, which received a small number of M1150s likely drawn from former USMC inventory. Ukraine debuted the vehicle during an official ceremony in November 2023, and its use marked the first combat employment of the M1150 outside U.S. operations. At least two ABVs have since been lost in the conflict, one destroyed near Stepove in February 2024 and another captured by Russian forces near Berdychi in April 2024 and exhibited in Moscow.

The proposal coincides with Poland’s broader program to modernize its land forces, which includes a significant investment in U.S.-made main battle tanks; the acquisition of M1150 ABVs appears to serve as a natural complement to existing capabilities. Poland has already received 116 used M1A1 tanks from the U.S. Marine Corps reserves and begun deliveries of 250 newly manufactured M1A2 SEPv3 tanks under a contract signed on April 5, 2022. The first batch of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks, tailored specifically for Poland, was unloaded at the Port of Gdynia in January 2025. The broader contract also encompasses several Abrams-based vehicles, such as 26 M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicles and 17 M1074 Joint Assault Bridges, as well as a full logistical and training support package, and a stockpile of ammunition. All new Abrams tanks are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026. To support this growing fleet, a national Abrams Competence Center has been established in Poznań at the Military Automotive Works (WZM), part of the PGZ Group. The center is intended to service all 366 Abrams tanks purchased by Poland and may potentially expand its services to NATO allies such as Romania and U.S. forces deployed in Europe.

If approved, the new M1150 vehicles are likely to be integrated into the 18th Mechanized Division, the same formation already operating Abrams tanks. Poland’s current lack of tracked combat engineering vehicles with breaching capabilities highlights a critical shortfall that the M1150 could fill, especially considering the operational lessons from the war in Ukraine. During the conflict, minefields and fortified zones have proven to be among the most challenging tactical obstacles, often shielded by layered defenses including artillery and anti-tank weapons. The M1150, due to its heavy armor, 1500-horsepower engine, and remote mine-clearing systems, is considered one of the few platforms capable of surviving and performing breaching tasks in such environments. Its two-person crew benefits from additional protection through reactive armor modules and integrated active protection systems, which increase survivability during assault operations.

The M1150 ABV was first deployed in combat during Operation Cobra’s Anger in Afghanistan in December 2009, where it led clearing operations through Taliban-held territory. It was later used in Operation Moshtarak in 2010 and in Operation Black Sand in 2011, where it played a key role in defeating improvised explosive device networks and creating safe passage for ground troops. The ABV has since participated in NATO exercises including Combined Resolve III in Germany and Trident Juncture in Norway. In 2013, six ABVs were also deployed to South Korea to reinforce breaching capabilities in the event of escalation along the heavily mined Demilitarized Zone. The vehicle’s adaptability through the High Lift Adapter allows it to switch rapidly between its mine-clearing plow, dozer blade, and other attachments, making it a flexible tool for a range of engineering missions.

Finally, in addition to the possible M1150 purchase, Poland may also acquire further M88A2 recovery vehicles and containerized maintenance workshops as part of the same procurement procedure. These could be added through the same process, possibly circumventing the standard tendering process under the Kajman program, which faced cancellation in early 2023 due to the lack of sufficient modern recovery vehicles in the Polish Armed Forces. Given that Poland’s 2023 request for M1150s stemmed from identified operational needs, and considering the presence of existing logistical infrastructure and interoperability with the Abrams fleet, the decision to accept the American offer would address both immediate and long-term gaps in Poland’s combat engineering capabilities. If a contract is signed before the offer expires, deliveries of the M1150 vehicles would begin in 2029.