Honeywell International Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded a $21,227,814 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) contract for engine parts for the Advanced Gas Turbine-1500 tank engine rebuild. The AGT-1500 is the powerplant for the Abrams. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2022. Fiscal 2019 firm-fixed-price funds in the amount of $21,227,814 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, Topeka, Kansas, is the contracting activity
The Honeywell AGT1500 gas turbine engine can use a variety of fuels, including jet fuel, gasoline, diesel and Marine Diesel. Engine output peaks at 1,500 hp (1,120 kW), with 2,750 lb-ft (3,754 N-m) of torque at that peak, which occurs at 3,000 rpm. This is output after a 10:1 reduction gearset in the engine assembly. Maximum torque of 3,950 lb-ft (5,355 N-m) is reached at 1,000 rpm. The engine was originally designed and produced by the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in the Stratford Army Engine Plant.
It was announced in 2016 that Kuwait had requested upgrades for its 218 M1A2 Abrams tanks for an estimated USD1.7 billion and that Saudi Arabia had requested another 153 M1A2Ss worth USD1.1 billion. Kuwait subsequently decided to acquire 218 new M1A2s, which, like the Saudi tanks, will be made by refurbishing and modifying surplus US military vehicles. The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed for modern armored ground warfare by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems). As of 2019, the M1 currently serves as the main battle tank of the United States Army and Marine Corps, and is also used by the armies of Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Iraq.
