Morocco recently received the latest version of the Abrams main battle tank, the M1A2 SEPv3, which will give a boost to its ground forces who already use older variants of the same tank, Military Africa reports. The M1A2 SEPv3 is the most advanced and lethal version of the Abrams tank and features a new electronic architecture.improved protection and firepower.
Local media reported the delivery of the M1A2 SEPv3 tanks to Morocco. who saw the vehicles on trains heading to the south of the country. The tanks are believed to have been delivered in recent weeks under a contract signed in October 2020 between Morocco and the American company General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), manufacturer of the Abrams tank. The contract, worth $11.9 million, included technical support for upgrading 162 Abrams tanks to the M1A2 SEPv3 standard for Morocco.
Morocco is one of the few countries in the world that operates the Abrams tank, the main battle tank of the US military and several other allied countries. Rabat has a long-standing military partnership with the United States and has participated in several joint exercises and operations, such as African Lion and Flintlock.
The company first acquired the Abrams in 2012 when it ordered 200 M1A1 SA (Special Armor) tanks from the United States, which were surplus vehicles from the US Army’s arsenal. The M1A1 SA tanks were upgraded prior to GDLS delivery and featured a new main gunner’s sight, an advanced second generation infrared system and a blue force tracking system. Morocco received 127 M1A1 SA tanks in 2016, the remaining 73 tanks were upgraded to the M1A2M standard, which had a commander-independent thermal sight and turn-to-point capability.
The M1A2 SEPv3 are the latest and possibly last converted version of the original platform. Both new and old versions of the Abrams are in high demand, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Version 3 was designed primarily to solve the SWaP problems of the M1A2 SEPv2 and features a new electronic architecture, simplified Maintenance procedures and a new assistant. engine. To increase lethality and survivability, it also features additional frontal armor and a datalink to enable the firing of intelligent multi-purpose projectiles from its 120mm smoothbore cannon. The M1A2 SEPv3 is intended to become the new front-line tank of the US Army, which has commissioned GDLS to convert up to 435 M1A1 models to this standard.
The M1A2 SEPv3 tanks will complement Morocco’s existing Abrams tank fleet and enhance its armored warfare capabilities. The M1A2 SEPv3 has a maximum speed of 67 km/h and a range of 426 km. They feature composite armor that provides protection against kinetic energy and chemical energy threats and can be equipped with reactive armor plates for additional protection. They are armed with a 120mm M256 smoothbore cannon capable of firing a variety of ammunition, including the M829A4 armor-piercing fin-stabilized launcher (APFSDS), the M830A1 high-explosive multi-purpose anti-tank round (HEAT-MP) and the M1028 cartridge. They also have a coaxial M240 7.62mm machine gun, an M2 12.7mm machine gun and an M240 7.62mm machine gun mounted on a remote weapons station.
Morocco’s tank modernization plans – adds the Digital – faced challenges due to the challenges Conflicts in different parts of the world that have affected their ability to acquire new cars or upgrade existing ones.