In a major development in its ground fighting arsenal, the U.S. Army has decided to cancel the development of the M1A2 SEPv4 Abrams main battle tank and instead invest in the M1E3 version. 

In a press release months back, the Army announced that it would be closing out the M1A2 System Enhancement Package version 4 (SEPv4) of America’s main battle tank and instead focus its efforts on the M1E3.

With the M1E3, the U.S. Army is looking to create a modern tank that can “fight and win” against not only the threats of today but those on “the battlefield of 2040 and beyond.”  

The M1E3 Abrams Main Battle Tank 

According to the Army, the decision to scuttle the SEPv4 module and go with the M1E3 came after years of testing, analysis, and operational feedback, as well as technological developments. 

Τhe military’s new main battle tank will incorporate the best features of the SEPv4, and it will continue to follow a modular design that allows new technology to be easily incorporated into an older weapon system. 

With this philosophy, it will be easier for the Army to upgrade its tanks in the future with newer technology but also field a better initial tank.

“We appreciate that future battlefields pose new challenges to the tank as we study recent and ongoing conflicts,” Brigadier Gen. Geoffrey Norman, director of the Next-Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team said in a press release. “We must optimize the Abrams’ mobility and survivability to allow the tank to continue to close with and destroy the enemy as the apex predator on future battlefields.”

As far as nomenclature goes, when the M1E3 is tested and ready to go, it will be designated as M1A3 Abrams. 

The Army is looking to have an initial operational capability by the early 2030s. 

Lessons From Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is providing the military and industry with excellent feedback on how wars are fought today, and which systems survive and are competitive on the battlefield. 

“The Abrams Tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical footprint," Major Gen. Glenn Dean, Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems. “The war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for Soldiers, built from within instead of adding on.”

The U.S. military will soon have a good understanding of how the M1A1 Abrams, the older version of the main battle tank, performs on a large-scale conventional battlefield. The Ukrainian military received M1A1 Abrams from the U.S.

The Ukrainian military will likely use its M1A1 Abrams for the most difficult missions because of the weapon system’s impressive offensive and defensive capabilities.

As such, it is highly likely that Ukrainian M1A1s will take losses. But if even one crewmember who would otherwise have been killed manages to survive, then that would be a success. 

It is that combination of lethality and survivability that makes the M1 Abrams one of the best tanks in the world. 

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.