Australia to splash out on heavy armour
The Australian Army's tank fleet is to receive a makeover. (Gordon Arthur)
Modern Abrams tanks, bridge-layers, recovery vehicles and breaching vehicles for Australia await contract signature.
Government approvals from the US will see the Australian Army’s M1 Abrams tank fleet upgraded, as well as new combat engineering assets allocated.
Greater clarity emerged on 29 April when the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced a potential $1.685 billion Foreign Military Sale to Canberra.
The extent of the purchase of combat engineering vehicles under Project Land 8160 Phase 1 is probably beyond what many were anticipating. At the same time, the number of tanks broadly accords with what was anticipated under Project Land 907 Phase 2.
These combined projects represent a serious boost to Australia’s armoured vehicle fleet.
The DSCA
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Land Warfare
-
![British soldiers successfully complete anti-drone EW test firing]()
British soldiers successfully complete anti-drone EW test firing
The system beams radio waves to disrupt or damage the critical electronic components of enemy vehicles causing them to stop in their tracks or fall out of the sky. It has been described as costing only £0.10 (US$0.12) per shot.
-
![Estonia signs for construction of new radar post]()
Estonia signs for construction of new radar post
The new radar post will be built around Thales Ground Master radars purchased in 2023.
-
![What does a 20% cut by Congress mean for the JLTV programme?]()
What does a 20% cut by Congress mean for the JLTV programme?
Reductions approved by the US Congress impact the US Army's and US Marine Corps' (USMCs') acquisition programmes.
