Will New Abrams Tanks Be Deployed to US Forces Korea?

[Military Analyst Kim Daeyoung] On July 20th last year (local time), the U.S. Army's 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, began the initial deployment of the M1A2C Abrams tank. The M1A2C, the latest model among the M1A2 series tanks, is equipped with the NGAP (Next Generation Armor Package), which features enhanced armor protection.

In addition, the latest thermal imaging equipment known as IFLIR (Improved Forward-Looking Infrared) was applied to the fire control system. The existing CROWS remote weapon system had the issue of limiting the tank commander's field of view due to its size. Therefore, the M1A2C tank was equipped with a new, streamlined CROWS remote weapon system. Alongside this, a new ammunition data link system was introduced, enabling the use of the U.S. Army's next-generation 120mm tank ammunition, the AMP (Advanced Multi Purpose). The AMP is a new type of ammunition designed to replace the current 120mm high-explosive anti-tank rounds used by the U.S. Army.

The AMP can engage targets from a minimum of 50 meters up to a maximum of 2 kilometers. Using a smart fuse, it can attack not only tanks but also destroy buildings, and when using the airburst mode, it can target concealed enemy infantry. The M1A2C tank also features improved engine and auxiliary power unit output, along with a significant upgrade to its digital combat system. Notably, it is equipped with electronic warfare equipment capable of neutralizing IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), a new threat to tanks. The electronic warfare system installed on the M1A2C disrupts radio signals to block detonation signals of IEDs triggered by wireless devices such as mobile phones.

With enhanced protection, firepower, mobility, and network warfare capabilities, the M1A2C boasts the most powerful performance among existing tanks. For this reason, not only the U.S. Army but also Taiwan and Australia plan to acquire it. Taiwan intends to procure 108 units of the M1A2T, a variant based on the M1A2C tailored to the operational requirements of the Taiwanese Army, between 2023 and 2026. On April 29th (local time), the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Department of Defense announced that the Australian government had agreed to purchase 75 M1A2C (M1A2 SEPv3) tanks through Foreign Military Sales (FMS).

Along with the M1A2C tanks, Australia plans to acquire 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles and 18 M1074 Bridge Layer Tanks. Both the M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle and the M1074 Bridge Layer Tank use the same chassis as the M1A2C tank. The M1A2C, which is a renovation of existing M1A1 and M1A2 SEPv2 tanks, is highly likely to be deployed to U.S. Forces Korea in the future. Notably, the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, where the M1A2C was first deployed, was rotationally stationed in Korea in 2019. Therefore, it is possible that a U.S. Army armored brigade equipped with M1A2C tanks will be rotationally deployed to Korea, replacing the existing M1A2 SEPv2 tanks.