REPURPOSED AND READY
One of more than 50 Abrams tanks that were delivered to Morocco in June, bringing total deliveries to more than 170 of the 222 requested. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army)
of it. USASAC, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, manages and implements the Army’s security assistance programs and foreign military sales for more than 150 countries.
Foreign military sales have a fundamental value to Army readiness and to the military’s interoperability with international partners. Tis is particularly important in the AFRICOM region, where supporting relationships is key to addressing the significant terror- ist threats in the area.
According to Amy Weichel, chief of the Morocco Program Office for Main Battle Tank Systems at the Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems, the initial vehicles underwent a complete overhaul and were rebuilt at the Anniston Army Depot, Alabama. Anniston was responsible for the teardown and rebuild of the tanks, including all the components except turret armor. General Dynamics Land Systems installed the exportable turret armor at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio. Using this production process, which results in like-new vehicles, another 72 vehicles were produced.
Anniston and General Dynamics overhauled an additional 150 tanks through the Abrams integrated management process. Tis is a partnership between the two entities; Anniston does the tear- down, General Dynamics does the reassembly. Te rebuild of a used M1A1 tank with this process enables the installation of modifications and emerging technologies. Te purchase was beneficial in employing U.S. personnel at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center during the early production.
“Te tank production supports the U.S. industrial base, provid- ing work to the depots and contractors, and can result in mutual costs savings with economies of scale,” Weichel said. “It also adds
to the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and Morocco, allowing them to modernize their military forces.”
Huther also pointed out that “the U.S. Army’s modernization is like a domino effect—our partners, like Morocco, are pushing just as hard to have compatible and comparable equipment to ensure continued logistic support.”
Along with large systems, other necessary tools provided through foreign military sales include radios, training ammunition, spare parts, tools, training aids and simulators. Personnel training is also part of the program, which allows the Army to train partners on the equipment as well as to develop leaders in partner nations. “Tis is all part of the total-package approach, which ensures the capability is not only developed but sustained,” Huther said.
USASAC is the lead for the security assistance enterprise of U.S. Army Materiel Command, which is USASAC’s headquarters. Trough the support of Army Materiel Command entities such as the industrial base and its life cycle management commands, USASAC is able to assist partners with their readiness, whether it be through new or excess material and equipment, or sustainment.
Huther also emphasized that evolving an Army Materiel Command line of effort is about setting the conditions for inte- grating new technologies and systems, and that each AFRICOM partner is doing this in its own way. “Every facet of the USASAC mission is in support of U.S. national security and is designed to support strategic readiness,” he said. “We will continue to look at ways to improve our processes and help ensure that when it’s time to conduct coalition operations, our partner nations are ready and indisputably capable.”
—MS. TERRI STOVER, USASAC Public Affairs HTTPS: / /
ASC.ARMY.MIL 37
ACQUISITION
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