Poland has approved a $1.4 billion contract for the purchase of 116 Abrams tanks from the United States. The deal, which was first announced last year, will help fill gaps in Poland’s arsenal after it donated over 240 of its own T-72 tanks to Ukraine and it will be partially funded by the US itself.
“We are strengthening the Polish armed forces in order to substantially and effectively deter the aggressor,” declared defence minister Mariusz Błaszczak, who has led a military procurement spree in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The first of the M1A1 Abrams tanks will begin to be delivered this year, with all 116 due to be in Poland by the end of 2024. In a separate $4.75 billion deal (agreed before the war in Ukraine), Poland is also buying 250 M1A2 Abrams tanks from the US. Those are due to arrive in 2025-26, though Poland hopes to accelerate delivery.
Wicepremier @mblaszczak zatwierdził umowę na dostawę 116 czołgów M1A1 ABRAMS. Spotkanie w @1WBPanc było także okazją do rozmów szefa MON z 🇺🇸 dowódcami i podziękowań za ścisłą polsko-amerykańską współpracę wojskową. pic.twitter.com/JdJdEY9Nk1
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) January 4, 2023
In the deal approved today, $200 million of the costs (around 14% of the total) will be covered by US aid funds granted to Poland, says the Polish defence ministry.
The agreement also includes “a significant amount” of live and training ammunition, as well as 12 M88 recovery vehicles, eight M1074 joint assault bridge systems, six M577 command post carriers, and a training and logistics package.
“Our tank drivers are already training in Abrams tanks in Poland,” noted Błaszczak, referring to a separate agreement under which the US army brought 28 M1A2 Abrams tanks with instructors to Poland for the training of Polish crews.
Błaszczak thanked the US for its close military cooperation. During a visit to Washington last year, his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, pledged to “help the Polish military become one of the most capable in Europe”.
Warsaw is also buying Patriot air defence systems, HIMARS rocket launchers and F-35 combat aircraft from the US. In June last year, President Joe Biden announced that the US will establish a permanent military base in Poland – the first time it has done so anywhere on NATO’s eastern flank.
Last month, Poland also received the first delivery of tanks and howitzers it has purchased from South Korea as part of a $5.8 billion deal – the largest arms export contract in the Asian country’s history.
Since Russia’s invasion, Poland has been one of the largest military donors to Ukraine, with its €1.8 billion worth of equipment surpassed only by the US, UK and Germany, according to the Kiel Institute’s Ukraine Support Tracker.
Main image credit: Dalton S. Swanbeck/Marines (under CC BY-NC 2.0)
Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.
FAQs
Poland has approved a $1.4 billion contract for the purchase of 116 Abrams tanks from the United States. The deal, which was first announced last year, will help fill gaps in Poland's arsenal after it donated over 240 of its own T-72 tanks to Ukraine and it will be partially funded by the US itself.
Why is Poland buying so many tanks? ›
Poland is on a spending spree to build what it describes as "the largest land force in Europe." Among its purchases are US-made tanks and helicopters designed to work in tandem on the battlefield. Warsaw's military buildup comes in response to rising tensions in Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
Is the US sending Abrams to Poland? ›
US partners have confirmed that the first 14 modern Abrams tanks will be delivered to our troops as early as June 2023 – this is part of the 366 M1 Abrams tanks ordered, and the 32 F-35 aircraft ordered will reach the Polish army in the next few years.
How many Abrams has Poland bought? ›
On Wednesday, January 4, in the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade in Wesoła, Mariusz Błaszczak, Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of National Defense, approved a contract for the supply of 116 M1A1 ABRAMS tanks for the Polish Army.
How many US tanks are in Poland? ›
The Polish Army has received 29 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks from the US at the port of Świnoujście in Western Pomerania. The army also received 79 Oshkosh mine-resistant ambush protected all-terrain vehicles. Warsaw ordered 116 M1A1s last year to complement the force's upcoming 250 M1A2 tanks.
Which European country has the most powerful military? ›
According to the Global Firepower's 2023 Military Strength Ranking, the strongest militaries in Europe - after Russia - are currently the UK, France, and Italy. The UK's position is mostly due to its manpower and airpower, while France can count on a strong helicopter fleet and several destroyer warships.
Who has the strongest army in Europe? ›
The western portion of Germany was followed by Italy, France, and Britain in terms of military strength. However, the military landscape has changed over the years, and France now has the largest military force in Europe after Russia. The UK, Italy, and Germany follow France in the ranking of military strength.
Is the US still building new Abrams tanks? ›
The U.S. has not built new Abrams tanks since the early 1990s. With the Cold War over, thousands of Abrams that were built to fight the Soviet Union were put into storage, according to Dean Lockwood, a military vehicle analyst with Forecast International.
How many Abrams could the US send to Ukraine? ›
President Joe Biden announced today that the United States will provide Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks.
Does the US have troops in Poland? ›
Currently, a total of about 10,000 troops of the US armed forces are stationed in Poland, primarily as part of a rotational presence. V Corps Forward Headquarters is one of the US military installations in Poland, located in Camp Kościuszko in Poznań as part of the US Army permanent presence.
Main battle tank
M1 Abrams – 5,000 active use. Approx. 3,000 stored.
How many Abrams tanks does the US have in stock? ›
Currently the US Army has over 8000 Abrams tanks in storage. The vast majority of these are NOT combat ready.
How many Abrams does the US make? ›
Production ended in 1992 and approximately 4 800 M1A1 Abrams tanks were built. Currently, US Army operates nearly 4 400 of these tanks, and US Marine Corps just over 400. It is planned that the fleet of refurbished and upgraded M1A1 tanks will remain with the US military until at least 2021.
How many tanks does USA have left? ›
How many tanks does the US have? Discover the hidden power behind the United States' vast tank inventory as we delve into the fascinating world of armored warfare. According to NATO, the US military has approximately 5,500 tanks in its arsenal, boasting one of the largest tank fleets in the world.
How many US military are in Poland? ›
Number of active-duty United States military personnel in Europe in 2022, by country
| Characteristic | Number of active-duty personnel |
|---|
| Atlantic Resolve (rotating NATO force) | 7,000 |
| Spain | 3,243 |
| Poland | 1,867 |
| Turkey | 1,755 |
9 more rowsDec 5, 2023
Marines assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing prepare F/A-18C Hornets to deploy to Poland from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jun. 6, 2022. VMFA 323 is deployed to Poland to provide defensive counter-air support to NATO allies and partners.
Why is Poland buying tanks from South Korea? ›
For Warsaw, the Korean deal meant getting tanks much faster than Germany's Rheinmetall would be able to supply, and at a competitive price point, but it also delivered on Polish desires for technology transfer to enhance its own domestic defense industry.
Is Poland doubling its military? ›
As Europe's sixth-largest economy, by far the largest on the Eastern Flank, these figures translate into very substantial increases in personnel and hardware. The country plans to double its land forces to 300,000.
How many tanks will Poland have? ›
In total, the Polish Army is to receive some 1,000 tanks, of which 180 units will be produced by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea, and a further 820 tanks in the K2PL variant are to be jointly manufactured by the two countries' defense industries. The first batch of the ordered K2s was delivered to Poland in late 2022.
Why is Poland buying Korean weapons? ›
South Korea is the only world vendor which can deliver modern tanks FAST! The first batch already landed in Poland. Production in Poland - South Koreans offered technology transfer and K2 can be produced in Polish factories - this is another important factor.
