Abrams Tanks Get Tick of Approval

Australian Department of Defense, The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report tabled today into the Land 907 Tank Replacement Project provides a positive report card for the Abrams tanks program. 
 
The report states ‘The project is being effectively managed by the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) to deliver an improved, replacement capability for the ageing Australian Leopard AS1 Main Battle Tanks.’ 
 
No recommendations were made by the ANAO. 
 
The Land 907 Tank Replacement Project is delivering a modern tank capability including 59 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks, seven Hercules armoured recovery vehicles, 14 Heavy Tank Transporters, eight tactical fuel trucks, gunnery and driving simulators, ammunition, facilities, training and logistics support. 
 
A majority of these deliveries have now been completed with the M1A1 capability declared operational in Darwin on 7 Jul 2007. 
 
The ANAO examined the M1A1 Abrams Integrated Management (AIM) rebuild process and confirmed that ‘The AIM process takes an older combat system, and replaces it with a digitised, integrated combat system.’ 
 
This confirms that the M1A1 is a world class tank capability. 
 
The success of the Tank Replacement Project is due to the close cooperation displayed between Defence Materiel Organisation and a range of Australian defence and government agencies, the US Government, and the key US and Australian industry partners. 
 
Defence is also very pleased with the ANAO’s report on the Tank Replacement Project. 
 
It not only confirms that we are getting a world class tank capability, but it also confirms that the project has been well managed by DMO.