The Army just published a pair of pictures this week of the next-generation version of the M1 Abrams main battle tank.
The black-and-white pictures are the first glimpse of the M1E3, the next version of the Army’s 46-year-old tank, which has been the subject of overhaul promises for close to a decade, with upgrades for a modern, drone-and-cyber-heavy battlefield. The Army posted the photos on several of its internal social media accounts, and an Army official told Task & Purpose that the photos were released both to confirm the first delivery of the new Abrams and to announce that it will soon enter hands-on testing with soldiers in the field.
“Testing of the M1E3 will begin in early 2026,” said Ashley John, director of public and congressional affairs officer for the Army Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems. “Timing is early-to-spring 2026 to start. Further details are not releasable at this time.”
The service requested $723.5 million in its fiscal year 2026 budget to build the M1E3, but the pictures reveal very few hints about what upgrades might actually be installed on the new tank, after years of rumors and hopes inside the armor world.
The main gun does not appear obviously different from the current 120mm cannon on the Abrams, nor does the turret appear to be significantly smaller or sloped. A now-abandoned Abrams reboot, the AbramsX, appeared to have a shallower, swept turret.
One visible item is a large sensor box on the turret. Though the systems it might be attached to are unknown, bulked-up sensors will be a primary demand for any armor in current battlefields, where drones will likely be a constant presence.
But the real news behind the M1E3 photos is that the tank is now or soon will be in the hands of soldiers, a major landmark for armor development. While the Marines famously ditched tanks altogether in 2020, the Army cancelled the M10 Booker “light tank” earlier this year.
Task & Purpose has been covering the development of the M1E3 since its announcement, with a full video of its expected capabilities you can watch below.
Inside the Army’s plan for the next Abrams tank
