This development follows the formal establishment of the squadron on 20 January and positions 2 CAV as the first regiment in the Corps’ history to house two tank and cavalry squadrons in one location. It also makes D Squadron the only unit in the Australian Defence Force to operate the U.S.-manufactured M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tank—the most advanced and lethal armoured vehicle currently in the Army’s arsenal.
The acquisition of these vehicles stems from a major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement signed between Australia and the United States in January 2022. Valued at AUD 3.5 billion (approximately USD 2.5 billion), the agreement includes the purchase of 75 M1A2 SEPv3 tanks, replacing the Army’s aging fleet of M1A1 Abrams.
In addition to the tanks, the FMS package provides a suite of supporting armoured vehicles: 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles, 17 M1074 Joint Assault Bridge Vehicles, and six M88A2 Armored Recovery Vehicles. This forms a key component of Australia’s broader strategy to modernise its heavy armour forces and better align with evolving operational needs in the Indo-Pacific region.
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Josh Higgins highlighted the transformation as a critical enhancement to Army capability. “This places us as one of the first pieces on the chess board in the 3rd Brigade’s armoured realisation,” he said. “We now have 36 of the world’s best tanks, complementing the combat reconnaissance vehicle capability we have.”
The establishment of D Squadron rounds out the regiment’s battle structure and is seen as a vital step toward future mission success. “The other squadrons in the unit represent the eyes and ears, and now finally we have the talons of the bird of prey,” Lieutenant Colonel Higgins added.
Officer Commanding D Squadron, Major Jodie McCart, expressed deep pride in leading the unit’s formation and bringing the new platform into service. “I’m incredibly privileged and honoured to raise the squadron with the men and women behind me, and bring this new platform into service,” she said.
Major McCart emphasised the long-term impact of the initiative. “It is a huge responsibility to get it right because of the legacy it will leave, for not only me and the people that we are doing this with, but also to make sure we set up the brigade, in good order.”
The T4 Raising Ceremony featured a live demonstration of the regiment’s operational effectiveness, including a logistic resupply exercise interrupted by a simulated enemy attack. The display showcased the coordination and response capabilities of combat units working alongside the newly integrated main battle tanks.
Lieutenant Colonel Higgins likened the regiment’s strengthened role to its symbolic mascot, a wedge-tailed eagle named ‘Courage’. “Our unit mascot is the wedge-tailed eagle, a bird of prey,” he said. “The other squadrons in the unit represent the eyes and ears, and now finally we have the talons of the bird of prey.”
