General Dynamics Land Systems beats out BAE Systems in a competition to build and field Mobile Protected Firepower systems for the Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Army acquisition chief, Doug Bush, said Abrams tanks could be produced at a faster rate should Congress decide to support a ramp-up and that the Pentagon and the Army were looking at options to possibly field Abrams tanks more quickly to Poland.
The country’s increased focus upgrading and diversifying its conventional capabilities comes after decades of prioritizing equipment and training to fight terrorism, insurgencies and drug trafficking.
The Army is further afield to get a vehicle protection capability in place for its current fleet against rockets and drones, and the service has provided no funding to procure an interim system for its Bradley in the meantime.
Poland’s prime minister has confirmed the country supplied its Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Ukraine to support the fight against Russia, which invaded Ukraine Feb. 24.
The Army is driving toward awarding a contract for a light tank for infantry soldiers this summer, amid reports one of the two competitors has already been eliminated.
Lawmakers unveiled a $13.6 billion Ukraine aid package on Wednesday that took President Joe Biden’s request for weapons and training for Ukrainian forces and put it on steroids.