The potential sale was announced on the website of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). November 13/23: Romania The US State Department approved Romania to buy 54 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, with a potential price tag of $2.53 billion. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren, MI and the recipient is General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, MI. Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are awarded by The U.S. By 2014, however, their interest in keeping the facility running led supportive members of Congress to continue spending money on the program, over the Army’s objections. Orders have continued to come in, and General Dynamics says that the current multi-year award set will complete the modernization of all M1 tanks in the active-duty army to M1A2 SEP standard. That program has now grown very substantially, and a 2007 contract added 435 more more M1A2 SEPs. The potential exits for a retrofit program of 129 M1A2 tanks to the SEP configuration between 20… The US Army decided to cancel future production of the M1A2 SEP from FY2004, but in June 2005 ordered the upgraded of a further 60 M1A2 tanks to SEP configuration.” The current Army plan allows for a fleet of 588 M1A2 SEP, 586 M1A2 and 4,393 M1A1 tanks. “A multi-year contract for 307 M1A2 Abrams Systems Enhancement Program (SEP) tanks was awarded in March 2001 with production into 2004. * FY 2013 Request: $300.8 million, ($97.3M RDT&E, $203.5M procurement) meant to “complete the final production, fielding, and training” – 20-24 tanks by some reports. Recent budgets for M1A1 enhancements, including both M1A1-Situational Awareness and M1A2 tanks, include: SEPv2 is the most technologically advanced digital Abrams tank, and is also positioned for future communications and other technology updates. The CROWS system can be controlled from inside the tank using a joystick and screen, removing the need to open the hatch and expose the crews to snipers. Recent orders also added a CROWS-II top-mounted machine gun with advanced sights. ![]() It adds improved displays, sights, and power systems compared to earlier SEP versions – plus the tank-infantry phone. M1A2 SEP Version 2 configuration, which is just beginning to appear, fixes this. A General Dynamics representative noted that future M1A2 Abrams TUSK (Tank Urban Survivability Kit) vehicles will have this feature, but the SEP v1 tanks did not. This was common as far back as World War 2, and its lack is hampering coordination on the modern battlefield – especially in urban areas. Troops in Iraq and elsewhere are also clamoring for a phone on the outside of the tank that will let them talk to the vehicle crew. ![]() The M1A2 SEP is a formidable upgrade package, but it was missing a small but crucial item. The M1A2 SEP’s advanced FLIR/thermal sights are part of the US Army’s Horizontal Technology Integration (HTI) Second Generation Forward Looking Infrared (HTI SGF) sighting systems program, which creates commonality with other vehicles like the M2/M3 Bradley IFVs. The M1A2 SEP also features enhanced electronics like color maps and displays, improved networked communications, high-density computer memory and increased microprocessing speed, a more user friendly “Soldier Machine Interface (SMI)”, and an open operating computing system that will make future upgrades and additions easier. air conditioning for crew & electronics). ![]() The M1A2 SEP is builds on the digitized M1A2 platform with an improved armor package of third generation steel-encased depleted uranium armor, a new command and control system, second-generation FLIR thermal sights that include a Commander’s Independent Thermal Viewer (CITV) for “hunter-killer” operation, the Under Armor Auxiliary Power Unit (UAAPU) that lets crews run key electronics without running the engine, and a Thermal Management System (TMS – i.e.
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