On Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Warsaw, Deputy Minister of National Defence Paweł Bejda, responsible for overseeing the technical modernization of the Polish Armed Forces, took part in the signing of an annex for the delivery of M1150 ABV assault breacher vehicles to the Polish Armed Forces.
Photos: Polish Ministry of National Defence
The annex signed with the U.S. side, an addition to the January 2023 agreement between the Polish State Treasury’s Armament Agency and the United States for the purchase of M1A1FEP Abrams tanks, covers the delivery of 25 M1150 ABV (Assault Breacher Vehicle) engineer vehicles, based on the M1A1 Abrams chassis. The package also includes logistics and training support, as well as a supply of spare parts. The value of the annex is approximately 115 million USD net (429.08 million PLN net / 527.77 million PLN gross). Vehicle deliveries are scheduled for 2029. The breaching vehicles will enter service with units of the Polish Land Forces.
“This is an incredible vehicle equipped with specialized engineering and breaching systems designed to clear minefields, various types of obstacles, and technical infrastructure. These capabilities allow for the creation of safe passages for our land forces, including tanks. It’s a vital element of security and support for our armored units. The vehicle is operated by just two crew members — a commander and a driver. Its automation and advanced equipment make the breaching tank nearly self-sufficient. I would like to sincerely thank our American partners for the timely deliveries, swift action, and high-quality equipment that is proving effective in our units. (…) The plan is for this equipment to be delivered to the 18th Mechanized Division in Siedlce,” said Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda during the signing ceremony for another arms delivery to the Polish military.
Photos: Michał Szafran, MILMAG
“Workhorses — because that’s the best way to describe them — these are incredible machines that enhance the defensive capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. When it comes to our land and armored forces, we are truly becoming a major power in Europe and a significant NATO member, not only in Europe but globally as well,” emphasized the deputy minister responsible for the modernization of the Polish military.
On November 16, 2023, the Armament Agency announced the start of negotiations with the U.S. side regarding the purchase of 25 M1150 ABV assault breacher vehicles.
The M1150 ABV is designed to clear roads and passages of roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices, as well as to neutralize minefields. These 72-ton vehicles, measuring 12 meters in total length (with specialized equipment), are built on the chassis and hull of the M1A1 tank, but their only armament consists of a 12.7 mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun and smoke grenade launchers for self-defense. They are fitted with a newly designed turret capable of rotating 90 degrees in either direction and are protected by 53 reactive armor tiles to guard against shaped charges.
The M1150 ABV can be equipped with a Full Width Mine Plow (FWMP) measuring 4.6 meters in width, a dozer blade or a roller-type mine plow, three Combat Dozer Blades, and specialized demining equipment from the British company Pearson Engineering. At the rear of the turret, launchers are installed for the Linear Demolition Charge System (LDCS) developed by AECOM; alternatively, the vehicle can be fitted with the similar M58 MICLIC (Mine Clearing Line Charge) system. This enables the clearing of minefields using C4 explosive charges at a distance of 100–150 meters in front of the vehicle. The total weight of the carried explosive charges is nearly 3,200 kg.
The M1150 is also equipped with an LMS (Lane Marking System) for guiding troops, an Integrated Vision System (IVS), and an Embedded Diagnostics System (EDD) from Leonardo DRS. The crew consists of two soldiers.
This type of vehicle was first introduced into service with the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), followed by the U.S. Army in 2009. It was later adopted by the National Guard as well. The U.S. Army and National Guard currently operate 149 M1150 ABVs, while the USMC retired its fleet of 52 vehicles along with 403 M1A1FEP tanks (it is likely that the U.S. Army took over most of the ABVs from the Marine Corps, as was the case with the tanks).
These vehicles have not been widely exported alongside the M1 Abrams tanks. Aside from Poland, they have been delivered to Australia (29 units, along with M1A2SEPv3 tanks), Romania (4 units), and Bahrain (8 units). Additionally, a number of ABVs were transferred to Ukraine under U.S. military aid, likely former USMC vehicles, together with M1A1SA-UKR tanks. Although the exact number was not disclosed, it is known that two ABVs were destroyed by Russian forces (on February 22 and March 3, 2024), and one was captured in damaged condition on April 25, 2024.
It is also worth noting that Poland’s standard M1A2SEPv3 tanks will also be equipped with engineering capabilities. On March 11 of this year, the British company Pearson Engineering announced that it had received an order from Poland, value undisclosed, for the delivery of 99 SLICE modular engineering equipment kits for integration with these tanks.
Czołgi saperskie M1150 ABV dla Wojska Polskiego
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– To niesamowita jednostka wyposażona w specjalne systemy inżynieryjno-saperskie, które zwalczają pola minowe, różnego rodzaju zabezpieczenia oraz infrastrukturę techniczną. Umożliwiają one udrożnienie dróg dla naszych wojsk… pic.twitter.com/4oOHsyc85G— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 31, 2025