U.S. Army Unveils First Prototype of its Most Ambitious Tank in 50 Years: What Features Define the M1E3?

U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams Tank

Military Watch Magazine Editorial Staff

January-14th-2026

The U.S. Army has released full-body photos of its first prototype of the M1E3 Abrams, a next generation variant of the Cold War era Abrams tank that first entered service in 1980. The new variant is by far the most revolutionary in the history of the program, and was developed after the Army abandoned plans for further modernisation of the M1A2 design. Analysts have widely assessed that the obsolescence of conventional Western tank designs seen in the Ukrainian theatre was a primary factor prompting the particularly radical redesign of the Abrams under the M1E3 program, which has prioritised many of the same capabilities as the new Chinese Type 100 main battle tank that was confirmed in September to have entered service. By early June 2025 the Ukrainian Army was assessed to have lost 87 percent of the its Abrams tanks, with 27 of the 31 delivered having been destroyed or captured, despite prior Western expectations that the vehicles could represent a game changer in the theatre. 

U.S. Army M1E3 Abrams Tank Prototype

The M1A3 prototype has been equipped with a DRS stabilised sighting system for the commander, instead of the Safran PASEO previously expected to be used on Abrams variants. An R400 Mk2 remote weapon station equipped with the EchoGuard tracking radar, Javelin anti-tank missiles, a 40mm grenade launcher, and a machine gun, is mounted on top of the unmanned turret, with a modular design that allows for reconfiguration as needed. The M1E3’s appearance does not differ as radically from that of the M1A2 as the previously AbramsX design concept, possibly due to the perceived urgency of developing the new tank following the extreme losses suffered by newly built Abrams tanks donated to Ukraine, which has resulted in changes being made more conservative in some respects. With tank prototypes often differing significantly from their final production versions, however, there are likely to be changes particularly to its armament. 

Chinese Type 100 Tank – Currently Considered the World Leader in Pioneering Next Generation Design Features

The new tank features an unmanned turret, allowing all three crew members within the hull, much as is the case on the Chinese Type 100. Weight is reportedly expected to be reduced from 80 tons to just 60 tons, mirroring the Type 100’s own design, which is significantly lighter than prior Chinese tanks at around 40 tons. The tank will compensate for significant reductions to armour by integrating more advanced active protection systems much as the Type 100 has done. The shift towards using a hybrid powerplant also follows similar steps taken by the Type 100, and is expected to provide 40 percent greater fuel efficiency than the current gas turbine engine which has outstandingly high fuel consumption rates. The deep design changes mean that the M1E3 will represent a pivotal turning point in Western tank design, with China’s investment in the Type 100 to already bring the vehicle into active service expected to further strengthen the consensus in the West regarding the veracity of the new design priorities made by the program. 

U.S. Army M1E3 Abrams Tank Prototype

U.S. military officials have consistently highlighted the urgency of the M1E3 program, with the U.S. Army’s Chief Technology Officer and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff for Science and Technology Dr. Alex Miller having observed: “Very long story short, when we went – when the Chief [of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George] and I went to Detroit, 18 months ago, the PEO team, at the time, said that we would not see the M1E3 until 2032… And we said no.” “I want a tank by the end of the year, and we need a platoon by the end of next year. We understand there’s a lot of process things that we, the government, impose. So things like critical design review, things like final design review, those are government processes,” he added. This decision is thought to have been heavily influenced by the perceived inadequacy of the M1A2 to operate on modern battlefields dominated by top attack missiles, drones and loitering munitions. 

Original:https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/us-army-prototype-ambitious-tank-50yrs-m1e3