How Many Tanks Does the US Have in 2026? Abrams Fleet and M1E3
The United States has about 2,640 M1 Abrams tanks in Army service and roughly 2,000 more in storage, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Every one of them is an Abrams. The Marine Corps gave up its tanks in 2021, the Army cancelled its new light tank in 2025, and no other design is in service.
This guide explains how the fleet is organised, which versions are in use, and what the lighter M1E3 now in testing is meant to change.
How many tanks does the US have?
The working fleet is smaller than the total suggests. The Army has 16 armored brigade combat teams, 11 in the active force and five in the National Guard, and each has 87 tanks. That puts about 1,390 Abrams in front-line brigades. The rest equip training units, sit in prepositioned stocks overseas or wait for overhaul. Russia keeps more tanks in units, as our guide to how many tanks Russia has shows, but has lost thousands in Ukraine.
| Category | Number | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Abrams in Army service | About 2,640 | IISS estimate, all versions |
| Abrams in storage | About 2,000 | Older M1A1 and M1A2 hulls, mostly at Sierra Army Depot, California |
| Armored brigade combat teams | 16 | 11 active Army, five Army National Guard |
| Tanks per armored brigade | 87 | About 1,390 across all 16 brigades |
| Marine Corps tanks | 0 | All transferred to the Army by 2021 |
| M10 Booker | Cancelled | Programme ended in May 2025 |
Abrams variants in service
The Abrams entered service in 1980 and has been rebuilt many times since. All current versions share a 120 mm smoothbore gun, a crew of four and a 1,500 horsepower gas turbine. No new hulls have been made for the Army since the 1990s. Old tanks are stripped to bare metal and rebuilt at the government-owned plant in Lima, Ohio, the only tank factory in the country. Specifications are in our M1 Abrams guide.
| Version | Main features | Status |
|---|---|---|
| M1A1 SA | 120 mm gun, upgraded sights and armor | National Guard units; being replaced |
| M1A2 SEPv2 | Independent thermal sight for the commander, digital fire control | Large part of the active fleet |
| M1A2 SEPv3 | More electrical power, ammunition data link, improved armor, Trophy active protection on some tanks | In low-rate production until 2028 |
| M1E3 | Lighter hull, autoloader, hybrid drive, crew of three | Prototypes in testing |
The SEPv3 is the heaviest tank the Army has ever fielded, and that is its problem. It strains bridges, recovery vehicles and fuel supply. How it compares with its German rival is covered in Leopard 2A8 vs M1A2 SEPv3, and with the rest of the field in our top 10 main battle tanks.
Where US tanks are based
Most active armored brigades belong to five divisions: the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in Texas, the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss in Texas, the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart in Georgia, the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley in Kansas and the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson in Colorado.
One armored brigade rotates through Poland and the Baltic states at any time. Complete sets of tanks are also kept in warehouses in Europe, Kuwait and South Korea so that crews can fly in and draw equipment instead of shipping it across an ocean.
Why the Marines have no tanks and the M10 was cancelled
The Marine Corps disbanded its tank battalions between 2020 and 2021 under its Force Design plan, which reshaped the service for island fighting in the Pacific with missiles, drones and small dispersed units. Its 450 or so Abrams went to the Army.
The Army’s attempt at a lighter armored gun for infantry brigades ended badly. The M10 Booker, a 38-tonne tracked vehicle with a 105 mm gun, was cancelled in May 2025 after the first few dozen were delivered. It proved too heavy for the bridges at the base where it was first stationed and could not be dropped by parachute. The decision left the Abrams as the only American tank.
M1E3: the next Abrams
In September 2023 the Army stopped work on the planned SEPv4 upgrade and started a deeper redesign called the M1E3. The aim is a tank of around 60 tons with an autoloader, a crew of three seated in the hull, a hybrid diesel-electric drive that uses far less fuel, and an active protection system built in from the start to stop missiles and drones.
Progress has been quick by Army standards. General Dynamics Land Systems delivered the first prototype in December 2025 and the tank was shown in public in January 2026. Four prototypes are due this year. Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division are to test them from the autumn, with trials at the National Training Center in California running until March 2027. The Army asked for $474 million for the programme in fiscal 2027. Firing trials have started, as we reported in M1E3 live-fire testing begins.
Who else uses the Abrams?
The Abrams is also the main tank of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Morocco and Australia, is being delivered to Poland and Taiwan, and is on order for Romania. Ukraine received 31 American M1A1s in 2023 and 49 retired Australian ones in 2025. Their losses to drones and guided missiles there shaped the M1E3’s design more than any test range did.
Frequently asked questions
How many tanks does the US have?
About 2,640 Abrams in Army service and roughly 2,000 in storage, according to the IISS. Around 1,390 are assigned to the 16 armored brigades.
What is the main US tank?
The M1 Abrams. The newest version in service is the M1A2 SEPv3.
Does the US Marine Corps have tanks?
No. The Marines disbanded their tank battalions by 2021 and handed their Abrams to the Army.
How much does an Abrams tank weigh?
The M1A2 SEPv3 weighs about 67 tonnes, and more with add-on armor. The M1E3 is intended to be around 60 tons.
When will the M1E3 enter service?
The Army has not set a firm date. Prototypes are in testing with soldiers until March 2027, well ahead of the original 2030 target.
- Congressional Research Service – The Army’s M-1E3 Abrams Tank Modernization Program (April 2026): everycrsreport.com
- IISS – The Military Balance: iiss.org
- Wikipedia – M1 Abrams: en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia – List of equipment of the United States Army: en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia – M10 Booker: en.wikipedia.org
