The battalion is part of the 19th Lublin Mechanized Brigade, which operates under the 18th Mechanized Division.
This marks the second Polish battalion to be equipped with Abrams tanks, following the unit stationed in Warsaw's Wesoła district.
The delivery, announced by the 18th Mechanized Division on social media, represents the first batch of Abrams tanks for the Żurawica battalion. While the exact number of tanks was not specified, accompanying photographs suggest at least a dozen vehicles were included.
Poland purchased 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks from US military reserves, a move aimed at filling gaps created after Polish donations of military equipment to Ukraine.
The USD 1.4 billion contract, signed in January 2023, also covers 12 Hercules recovery vehicles, eight bridge layers, six command vehicles, 26 Humvee-based mobile workshops, as well as training and logistical support.
The United States contributed nearly USD 200 million to the deal as part of its military aid to Poland.
Deliveries of these tanks concluded in June last year.
Each Polish tank battalion requires 58 tanks, meaning the shipment is sufficient to outfit two battalions. In Żurawica, the Abrams tanks replace outdated Soviet-era T-72 tanks.
In addition to the used M1A1 Abrams, Poland has ordered 250 brand-new Abrams tanks in the advanced M1A2 SEPv3 configuration.
This USD 4.75 billion deal, signed in April 2022, includes accompanying equipment and support.
The delivery of the new tanks is expected to begin later this year and continue over the next two years. Poland plans to eventually upgrade the older M1A1 Abrams tanks to match the M1A2 SEPv3 standard.
The Abrams, manufactured by US-based General Dynamics, has been the mainstay of the US Army's armored forces since the 1980s. It gained global recognition during the Gulf War in 1991 for its effectiveness against Iraqi forces.
Poland was the first European country and NATO member outside the United States to acquire Abrams tanks. The Abrams main battle tanks join South Korean K2 tanks and German Leopard 2 tanks as the primary armored vehicles in Poland's armed forces.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, radio.rzeszow.pl