It was called the end of an era when the U.S. removed the last of its tanks from European soil where they had been a continuous presence since World War II, but after a new fleet of tanks landed at American bases in Germany, a new chapter in history has begun.
Military.com reported that 29 M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams tanks were delivered to the Grafenwöhr training facilities in Germany Jan. 31. Less than a year ago, the U.S. recalled 22 M1A1 Abrams tanks from the base, making this new fleet an upgrade of modernization. The new tanks will join the European Activity Set (EAS) under the authority of the Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC).
"The EAS is a pre-positioned, battalion-plus-size equipment set with headquarters pieces and command-and-control elements," said Col. Thomas Matsel, an operations officer within the JMTC. ""We have the best light infantry training facilities, the best medium training area with the Strykers. The only thing missing was the heavy piece."
The M1A2 tanks complement a collection of Strykers, the Army's newest troop transport vehicle, and M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, which can be optimized for transport or combat, according to GoArmy.com. The M1A2 tanks represent an impressive upgrade in military capabilities in their ability to protect troops from nuclear, biological or chemical attacks.