USA's Abrams tanks too heavy for Europe

The US military are not certain that the upgraded version of the Abrams M1A2 SEP v3 tank will be suitable for warfare in Europe.

Brigadier General of the US Armed Forces Glen Dean said that the US Army already uses Abrams tanks with reinforced armor. The combat vehicle had its arms control system upgraded and was outfitted with high-resolution thermal imaging sights. However, experts believe that the heavy tank stuffed with electronic equipment is completely unsuitable for East Asian and European theaters of war.

US designers chose the wrong path for the development of the Abrams tank, specialists say. In the past, the tank had been used in conflicts in the Middle East, and it had not been put to the test in other regions of the world. There is one serious drawback that has made the Abrams tank almost useless for war in Europe — it weighs over 63 tons.

There are certain difficulties with the deliveries of Abrams tanks to NATO's eastern flank — to Poland that is. Local bridges will not be able to withstand the weight of such heavy military hardware, and this forces the military to look for workarounds.

Earlier, it was reported that Poland was expecting to receive four battalions of Abrams tanks in 2022. A group of Polish military men has already left for the United States for training.