The United States Army is on track to deploy the latest version of its M1E3 Abrams tank, progressing faster than initially planned. This development was shared by a top official from General Dynamics on Wednesday.

During a discussion at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army in Washington, D.C., General Dynamics’ Executive Vice President for Global Operations, Danny Deep, alongside Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, mentioned that a preliminary version of the M1E3 tank would soon be provided to troops for initial evaluation.

“Within the next year, we plan to have soldiers interact with the tank, assessing what works and what doesn’t,” Deep explained. “Following this, we aim to begin full deployment over the next two to three years, significantly sooner than the originally projected decade.”

Deep later specified in a conversation with Military Times that the test vehicle would be sent to a specific small unit, although details about the unit’s identity and location are still being finalized. The M1E3 is intended to replace the older M1 Abrams models first introduced in the 1990s and is a priority for rapid deployment, with goals set earlier to field the new tanks within 30 months.

Technological advances such as modularity, open systems architecture, and digital engineering practices have significantly accelerated the M1E3’s development, according to Deep. As reported by Defense News, the upgrades focus on reducing weight, enhancing the drivetrain and power systems, while maintaining the M1’s acclaimed features like the 120mm smoothbore cannon.

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Deep emphasized that utilizing commercially available components has also played a crucial role in hastening the tank’s readiness.

“Opting for a 90% solution now is better than waiting for a perfect 100% solution that might be outdated by the time it is ready,” he remarked. “This shift in mindset is widely accepted now; speed is crucial not just in combat but also in equipping our forces.”

Col. Ryan Howell, acting deputy program executive officer for Ground Combat Systems, highlighted the potential for adopting existing technologies such as diesel engines from Caterpillar. “We can switch from an engine that costs about $1 million each and is hard to source to one that is readily available commercially, which can be serviced at any Caterpillar dealership for under $10,000,” Howell stated, underscoring the advantage of using off-the-shelf solutions over custom-made parts.