The US Army is now a rushing to make the new M1-E3 tank because 27 out of 31 M1 Abrams were wrecked in Ukraine. They were mainly destroyed by cheap drones and mines. The new tank will have be lighter and have improved defences against cheap drones. Better armor in the right spots and better systems to defend against drones. The M1E3 Abrams (aka M1-E3) is the U.S. Army’s next-generation main battle tank modernization program, replacing/upgrading the current M1A2 SEPv3 fleet. It is not a completely new tank design but a major evolution of the Abrams line, emphasizing lighter weight, hybrid propulsion, reduced crew, modularity, software-defined architecture, and built-in survivability against modern threats like drones.
The first early prototype / technology demonstrator was completed and delivered to the Army in December 2025. It was publicly unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (Detroit Auto Show) in mid-January 2026. The program is moving five years ahead of the original schedule which was initial operational capability ~2030–2032. Four pre-prototypes / test vehicles will be delivered to an Army platoon for hands-on soldier testing this summer (2026).
The Army’s FY2026 budget request includes $723.5 million specifically to build and further develop at least four M1E3 test vehicles and mature the design.
Large scale procurement has been funded but the vulnerability shown means it will happen.
In Ukraine, the U.S. supplied 31 M1A1 Abrams (older variant without some SEPv3 upgrades). As of late 2025/early 2026 reporting, at least 22–27 have been confirmed destroyed or heavily damaged. Cheap drones kill with top-attack shaped-charge strikes on thin roof/side armor or engine decks; mass swarms overwhelmed add-on systems. There are mine with underbelly blasts in prepared fields, often combined with drone spotting.
Drone/Top-Attack Protection (biggest upgrade)
Integrated Active Protection System (APS) are next-gen version evolved from Trophy VPS or Modular APS. They are hard-kill against drones, loitering munitions, ATGMs, RPGs — built into the design from the start. They are lighter and give more coverage than add-on Trophy on current Abrams. Includes dedicated counter-UAS radar, electronic warfare (EW) jammers, and AI-driven soft-kill (decoy, dazzle, signature masking).
Enhanced top/side/roof armor. Integrated composite + reactive elements optimized against drone-dropped munitions (not just kinetic tank rounds).
Reduced thermal/acoustic/EM signatures (hybrid drive + masking tech) → harder for drones to detect and lock on.
Sensor/AI suite: 360° distributed cameras + AI for early drone detection, automatic prioritization, and cueing of countermeasures or counter-drone fire (airburst ammo from coaxial or CROWS remote weapon station).
Mine Protection
Lighter overall weight + improved hybrid drivetrain → better mobility to avoid or cross mine-prone areas faster and reduced ground pressure in some configs.
Some descriptions mention V-hull or underbelly blast-deflection improvements in the modular design.
Modular armor allows quick field swaps or upgrades based on specific mine threats.
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Tanks are not dumb in 21th century. But you need air superiority and able to pull off mechanized warfare and shock and awe doctrines with rapid advanches. Not everyone can do that. Us can and few Europeans most likely to some extent and that is it.
Tanks are incredibly stupid idea in 21 century
They can’t fly. They can’t go above speed of some 40 mph. They get stuck in an anti tank moat.
Meanwhile drones do not care about terrain and can drop that explosive just as efficient and precise as 120 mm gun.
Tanks as a concept, are outdated.
Drones don’t occupy land.
Nor do burnt out tanks and dead crews – as they all are within an hour of entering drone range in Ukraine. Does the military see more value from risking a $10million tank and 3 crew or expending 10000 $1000 dollar drones? It’s not even a serious question anymore as we can see from where Ukraine and Russia are putting all their focus. Offensive armored maneuver warfare has gone the way of the mounted cavalry. Tanks are now entirely obsolete, as are most 20th century weapons systems and old concepts involving infantry that are now too expensive and too vulnerable to be economic in the new reality of withering destruction from overwhelming numbers of cheap smart drones.
Even the likely development of laser turrets and small point defense weapons will not be able to stop swarms of cheap drones attacking at the same time.
Tanks will still be useful in conventional wars when coupled with advanced anti-drone systems.
Of course, without effective anti-drone systems, tanks are useless.
By-the-way: some of Palantir’s anti-drone systems are scary. Wonder what China is developing?
The take down of Maduro in Venezuela was eye-opening.
Tanks effectiveness is DONE. To build new ones is no different then lighting money on fire.
I would be phasing out the Abrams, and be replacing them with…nothing.
JLTV’s on the other hand, are a great troop transport/weapons platform.
Tanks are like Aircraft Carriers, built for past wars.
People keep saying that without evidence.
You could say any number of things the past century made tanks obsolete yet they still roll on.
You counter measures
you think a $10million dollar laser turret is going to survive attack by a 10000 drone swarm (with similar cost)? It’s a big easy target for cheapish intermediate range ballistics like HIMARS or ATACMS too.
Mobility, Digging Deep and Quantity have become the essentials for land based warfare, and it is nearly impossible to take land from a well-dug-in opponent with saturation drone defense.
the whole point of drones war is not drone defense it is drone offense. Taking the attack against opponent. Hit first, hit hardest.
However, IF you must defend say a city then you will need tanks too. Tanks with lasers in the 100kw to 1Mw ranges. Tanks with an empty of humans, fully automated top turret. A top turret completely covered with reactive armor to take more than one from the top RPG launched from drones.
But upgrading so you can take more than one shot and stay operational is key. It is doable to be able to eat 4+ shots before getting disabled and upgrading the sensors and defences to match the battlefield. But it is a literal arms race. Lasting 2 hours versus 15 minutes matters.