Poland to establish Europe’s only Abrams engine service centre
An authorised service centre for Abrams tank engines will be established at the Military Aviation Works No. 1 (WZL-1) facility in Deblin, eastern Poland, under an agreement signed on Monday between WZL-1 and the American company Honeywell, the engine producer.
According to the Polish defence ministry, the facility will become only the third Abrams engine service centre in the world — and the only one in Europe authorised to maintain AGT1500 engines used in Abrams tanks.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz.
"It is the responsibility of all of us, without exception, to ensure that transatlantic cooperation endures through this difficult period, regardless of various political changes," Tusk said during the ceremony.
He added that there was no alternative to Polish-American and European-American friendship and cooperation, adding that Poland expected "respect and predictability" from its allies.
"We expect this from our allies because no one in Europe or NATO, invests as much in its own and collective security than Poland," Tusk said.
The investment will include upgrades to technical infrastructure, personnel training and the creation of spare parts inventories required to service and repair the engines.
Poland is set to receive a total of 366 Abrams tanks, including 250 in the modern M1A2 SEPv3 version and 116 in the older M1A1 version. Deliveries of the older tanks have already been completed, helping to replenish equipment stocks after Poland transferred more than 300 older tanks to Ukraine. Deliveries of the newer M1A2 SEPv3 tanks are currently under way. (PAP)
mj/jch
