Modernisation efforts had focused on the M-1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3, now in production until 2028, and the planned SEPv4 variant. However, on 6 September 2023 the Army announced it would “close out the M-1A2 SEPv4 effort and develop the M-1E3 Abrams,” citing limits on further upgrades without increasing weight and sustainment demands.
Explaining the decision, Major General Glenn Dean stated: “The Abrams Tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight, and we need to reduce its logistical footprint. The war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for soldiers, built from within instead of adding on.” The Army added that the new platform “will include the best features of the M-1A2 SEPv4 and will comply with the latest modular open systems architecture standards, allowing quicker technology upgrades and requiring fewer resources.”
Although detailed requirements have not been made public, earlier Army studies and industry demonstrators point to features such as hybrid propulsion, advanced protection systems and increased automation. The Army now plans to compress the original 2030 timeline, fielding prototypes as early as 2026 and aiming to bring the M-1E3 into service within 24 to 30 months.
In September 2025, the Chief of Staff of the Army said four prototypes would enter operational units in 2026, noting that “the new tanks will be completely software-driven, require a smaller crew, be modular, and will be equipped with an active protection system. Once the Army receives them, crews will try the tanks out and then decide what they need.” The first prototype was delivered by General Dynamics Land Systems in December 2025, with no public timeline yet for the remaining vehicles.
Source: Congressional Research Service.
