US army overhaul: New tanks and infantry units unveiled
The Pentagon plans to modernise the US Army's armoured and mechanised forces. Some armoured brigades will be converted into light infantry units, while those that remain will experience a hardware revolution with new tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, stemming from the M1E3 and XM30 programmes.
The proposed structural changes for the US Army, put forward by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, are reported by Defence 24. The reforms aim to significantly increase the deployment of drones in American units, enhance mobility, and ensure the capacity to strike targets deep within enemy formations.
The head of the Pentagon supports the withdrawal of some older weapon models, such as the AH-64D, and the widespread introduction of ISV (Infantry Squad Vehicles). These vehicles are intended to replace both the older Humvees and the newly introduced JLTV vehicles.
Production and partial operation of older models will be halted in favour of lighter and more easily air-transportable ISVs. The M10 Booker light tank (fire support vehicle), which has been under testing since 2024 and has already cost nearly $7 billion (£5.2 billion) in development, is also set to be replaced as part of this modernisation effort.
Structural changes will also involve the transformation of selected National Guard armoured brigades into light infantry units, capable of rapid air transport. This change is intended to boost the US's capabilities for swift action in the Indo-Pacific region.
As the number of armoured brigades is reduced, the remaining units will receive new armaments, such as M1E3 tanks and vehicles selected under the XM30 programme.
New equipment for the US army
The first name, expected to change to M1A3 once the vehicle enters service, refers to a new tank. Although formally presented as a modernisation of the Abrams tank for easier funding, the M1E3 features a different design layout with an unmanned turret and the crew located in the hull.
The XM30 is a futuristic infantry fighting vehicle intended to replace the M2 Bradley vehicles that have been in use since the 1980s. The final stages of the selection process for the design that will underpin American mechanised forces in the coming years are underway. Two designs are vying for the Pentagon's order: the KF41 Lynx developed by Rheinmetall and the Griffin III, a modernised version of the ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle, offered by General Dynamics.
