Maintenance opportunities on new main battle tanks

New maintenance opportunities will be available to defence industry with the delivery of a new fleet of main battle tanks, with the first cohort of Australian Army soldiers completing training on operations and maintenance at Puckapunyal.

Army will have a fleet of 75 of the Abrams M1A2 main battle tanks, with 46 already delivered from the United States.

Head Land Capability, Major General Richard Vagg said the upgraded fleet had improvements in lethality, protection, mobility and communications.

Major General Vagg said: “There is no other capability on the battlefield that can provide this level of protection, accurate and lethal fire, and cross-terrain mobility.”

Head Land Systems, Major General Jason Blain, said the new tanks would take advantage of existing support infrastructure where possible. There will also be significant investment in Australian industry to support maintenance of the new Abrams M1A2s.

“The new main battle tanks will require a range of sub-system and component maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities.”

These services will be based in locations where main battle tanks will operate, including at Puckapunyal and Bandiana in Victoria, and Townsville in Queensland.

“Army will also use simulation training systems being delivered by Defence industry partners, including Thomas Global Systems Australia and Thales Australia, based in New South Wales, and Universal Motion Simulation, based in Victoria.”

Picture: Defence/CPL Jacob Joseph/Abrams M1A2 SEPv3 Main Battle Tank during a live-fire test