New M1A2 SEP V3 Main Battle Tanks, set to be delivered in 2025 to the Polish Armed Forces via U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS), will be equipped with track with mine ploughs and combat dozer blades following a contract awarded to Pearson Engineering.
The engineering capability will be integrated via Pearson Engineering’s innovative SLICE vehicle interface kit which is designed to enable a fighting vehicle to rapidly accept and operate a wide range of Front-End Equipment (FEE) to facilitate independent battlefield manoeuvre.
SLICE does not require any modification to the vehicle based on a novel ‘Plug & Play approach’ that does not impact vehicle lethality or survivability.
The contract follows news released in 2023 that a first customer had taken into service Pearson Engineering’s new SLICE enabling the interoperability of FEE between main battle tanks and dedicated engineering vehicles.
The demand to support independent manoeuvre for main battle tanks and other fighting vehicles comes as the battlespace becomes increasingly contested over broader stretches of terrain. Dedicated engineering vehicles, whilst offering important specialist capability, cannot be everywhere at all times forcing Commanders to make choices based on asset availability rather than best tactical opportunity. By providing independent mobility, counter-mobility and survivability options to those operating fighting vehicles, Commanders are able to move to places of their choosing to overcome their adversaries.
This leaves dedicated combat engineers to undertake the most specialist and dangerous tasks that support overall strategic main effort, creating safe routes for convoys, laying assault bridging and tackling complex obstacles.
Pearson Engineering’s involvement with U.S. FMS office follows decades of support to the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, including the supply of a wide range of FEE to the ABV Engineering Vehicle, M1 Main Battle Tank, Stryker Engineer Support Vehicle and a number of MRAPs.
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