In the largest defense programs, the stakes are no longer limited to the procurement of equipment, but also include the position of Polish industry in global supply chains. The Abrams program shows that local content can mean more than just localization: Polish companies manufacture components used in the maintenance and production of vehicles worldwide, and some of these parts are already being installed in new Abrams tanks that will soon be delivered to the Polish Armed Forces. One example is the cooperation between General Dynamics Land Systems and Promot. The Polish family-owned company specializes in metalworking, forgings, and CNC machining of special steels and aluminum. Capabilities of this kind are particularly important in military programs, where process consistency, the highest standards of workmanship, process qualification, and the ability to meet the stringent requirements of a global manufacturer are essential.
M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams from the latest delivery to Poland on June 25 this year / Photo: Armament Agency of the Ministry of National Defence
Promot is one of eight Polish suppliers currently manufacturing components for Abrams tanks. Together, Polish companies now produce 52 components supporting both tank maintenance and production. This means that local content in the Abrams program is more than a declaration. It is a process through which Polish companies, capabilities, and components are being integrated into a strategic supply chain, strengthening domestic industry, security of supply, and the resilience of the entire support system.
“Today’s agreements are further confirmation of our commitment to Poland,” said Christopher Brown, Vice President of Global Strategy and International Business Development at General Dynamics Land Systems. “Together with our partners, we are building real production and service capabilities that will enable the further integration of Polish industry into the global Abrams supply chain into the future.”
The significance of such projects extends beyond individual orders. Joining the Abrams program gives Polish suppliers access to a global ecosystem encompassing more than 10 user countries and over 5,000 M1 Abrams tanks worldwide. For GDLS, cooperation with Promot provides access to a partner with rare and highly specialized metalworking capabilities. For Promot, it creates an opportunity to transfer its expertise and production capacity from the automotive sector to one of the defense industry’s most demanding supply chains.
“Our cooperation with GDLS is recognition of the quality of the components we manufacture. We are proud that Polish soldiers will receive Abrams tanks containing parts produced at our facilities later this year. This is a major responsibility, as every component contributes to the safety and reliability of the entire platform,” said Przemysław Chybiorz, President of the Management Board of Promot.
The Abrams program in Poland currently covers 366 ordered tanks and the development of maintenance and support capabilities at the Regional Competence Center in Poznań. However, a second aspect of the cooperation is becoming increasingly important: building a domestic supply chain and preparing Polish industry for broader participation in the program. This is particularly significant amid growing demand for military equipment, spare parts, and combat-readiness sustainment capabilities on NATO’s eastern flank. Even without a formal offset agreement, a functioning ecosystem is emerging, encompassing component production, maintenance, training, supplier development, and capability building throughout the equipment’s life cycle.
The current cooperation is only the beginning. The participation of Polish companies in the Abrams program lays the foundation for expanding local content, bringing additional companies into the supply chain, and establishing Abrams tank co-production in Poland. Under this model, the purchase of equipment does not mark the end of the industrial relationship. Instead, it becomes the starting point for building lasting capabilities across the armed forces, industry, and the wider economy.
Promot is a Polish family-owned industrial company specializing in metalworking, forging production, and the CNC machining of steel and aluminum. The company supplies customers worldwide with components for demanding industrial sectors in which quality, precision, and process consistency are essential.
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MILMAG commentary
During last year’s MSPO 2025 International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, U.S. company General Dynamics Land Systems announced that it had signed eight agreements with industrial partners operating in Poland for the supply of spare parts for Abrams tanks. The agreements cover a total of 52 unique components used in Abrams tanks and represent another step in the development of long-term cooperation with the Polish defense industry (MSPO 2025: GDLS to Locate Production of M1 Abrams Tank Components in Poland).
Below is the full list of Polish partners, including Promot of Cieszyn:
Image: GDLS
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