Summary: The United States has approved a significant arms sale to Bahrain, including fifty M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks and various supporting combat vehicles, with a total value of $2.2 billion. This move aims to enhance the military capabilities of Bahrain, a crucial ally in the Middle East, amid regional tensions, particularly with Iran. The sale, viewed as a measure to support U.S. foreign policy and national security goals, seeks to promote political stability and economic progress in the Middle East by equipping Bahrain with a formidable deterrent force.

M1A2 Abrams Tanks: The Centerpiece of Bahrain's Military Upgrade

The U.S. Department of State has green-lighted a big sale of M1 Abrams main battle tanks to Bahrain, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.

Bahrain wants to upgrade its armor fleet, and it wants the M1A2 Abrams tank to lead it into the future. The State Department’s approval is an important step closer to making this a reality. 

The Proposed Sale

Bahrain wants to buy fifty M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks, eight M110 Joint Assault Bridges, eight M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles, eight Heavy Assault Scissor Bridges, and four M88A2 Hercules Combat Recovery Vehicles. 

The Pentagon values the sale at $2.2 billion. 

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a Major Non-NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release. 

Bahrain is situated in an important but volatile region. With Iran nearby, it benefits the United States to have well-equipped allies. 

“The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and provide the capability to participate in regional operations with the United States and other U.S. partner nations. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency added. 

The State Department indicated that the proposed sale of the M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks to Bahrain wouldn’t alter the basic military balance in the region.    

The M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 

If the foreign military sales request goes forward, Bahrain will be getting the M1A2 System Enhanced Package 3 (SEPv3) version of the main battle tank. This is the most modern iteration of the Abrams. 

The M1A2 SEPv3 packs heavier armor (including explosive reactive armor mountings for defense against improvised explosive devices and loitering munitions). It has more electrical power, better network capabilities, and an improved ammunition data link that can interface with advanced shells. 

The SEPv3 is also easier to maintain in combat conditions. 

The M1A2 Abrams uses a 120mm M256 smooth bore main gun that can fire a number of different munitions, including high-explosive, armor-penetration, and air-burst rounds, against armored and unarmored targets. The 120mm M256 gun can even engage low-flying aircraft and drones. 

“Abrams is a platform that adapts new technologies while minimizing development time and cost. This superbly engineered and battle-tested design continues to meet the challenges of new and emerging threats associated with the next generation of warfare,” General Dynamics Land Systems, the manufacturer of the Abrams tank, states on its website about the M1A2 Abrams. 

Although there was another update in the works, the SEPv4, the Army recently decided to scuttle it and move forward with a completely new version of the tank – the M1A3 Abrams. 

Bahrain isn’t the only country interested in the M1A2 Abrams. In 2022, Australia requested 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams as part of a $2.5 billion package. 

About the Author

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense and national security journalist specializing in special operations. 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). He is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.