The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency DSCA announced yesterday that the sale of 116 M 1 A 1 Abrams main battle tanks and related equipment to Poland will be approved by the US Department of State.
The tanks are older than the 250 M 1 A 2 SEP v 3 Abrams ordered by Poland earlier in the day and are intended to fill the gap left by the country sending tanks to Ukraine.
The proposed sale will improve Poland's ability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that is capable of deterring adversaries and participating in Nato operations, the DSCA said in a statement.
Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak described the State Department's consent as a further step towards increasing the armoured potential of Poland armed forces, adding that the price had yet to be negotiated.
Poland has requested 12 M 88 A 2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicles, eight M 1110 Joint Assault Bridges, six M 577 A 3 Command Vehicles, 26 M 1279 A 1 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and tens of thousands of pieces of tank ammunition.
The Abrams will be delivered next year, according to Poland's defence ministry. The timeline was confirmed by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday.
He wrote that the Law and Justice government is working on accelerated delivery. Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak is in the course of negotiations with the American side and it is possible that the first Abrams units will reach us next year.