Damian

Yes, hydropneumatic InArm most likely. With variable height control.

Yeah, this confirms my suspicions.

For what it is, a pre-prototype it is promising. I like the front hull redesign direction. It also seems to use hydropneumatic suspension. Otherwise there is plenty of placeholders. IMHO pre-prototype have several functions to test. 1. New crew capsule in hull layout. 2. New hybrid powerpack and suspension. 3. New autoloader. Probably powerpack itself might be partially a placeholder. Same with turret, for example it lacks APS. So I would not make too far fetched conclusions just yet, but it is promising direction.

First winter firing range of 2nd Tank Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade, 18th Mechanized Division with their M1A2SEPv3's.

Ok, I made a calculation. If the upper glacis of the M1E3 preprototype have thickness increased to around ~100-200mm, and is definately angled at 83 degrees, then it's effective armor thickness, would be around ~820-1640mm.

This is a pre-prototype nr.1 so it is obvious, there are still some placeholders used like the spare M1A1/M1A2 turret, modified to be unmanned. Same with hull using a lot of older elements combined with new ones. My best guess is, pre-prototypes are used to test some of the new solutions like crew capsule in hull, hybrid powerpack, autoloader etc. to find and fix all possible issues with US Army tank crews forming first test platoon with 4 pre-prototypes. In the meantime when problems will be identified and fixed, real prototypes with new hull and turret will be developed and later build for next tests iteration.

We already have plenty. Polish Army have 124 M1240A1 MATV, 300 Cougar H 4x4, and right now we are slowly procuring Waran 4x4 + Heron 6x6 from HSW. We also have HMMWV's and Legwan (KLTV), right now plans call for procurement of over 1000 Legwan's in various variants.

Important news, Huta Stalowa Wola started manufacturing of first batch of Heron 6x6 APC's, at the moment first manufactured variant is C2 variant for WR-40 Langusta and Homar-K MLRS, in total 30 vehicles of that variant were ordered. Heron 6x6 might in future be manufactured in more variants, like for example simpler and cheaper APC for Territorial Defense Forces.

At this moment regular army is a 100% proffesional force, supported by volunteer basic service and volunteer based Territorial Defense Forces. However there is more and more discussion about restarting conscription to create reserves for wartime at a much larger scale and faster pace. General Staff already confirmed they started to prepare plans for full conscription if there will be political decision with green light. You might want to see some videos made by MoD.

So I believe it's time to make some debrief so far, when it comes to the modernization of Polish Armor and Mechanized Forces and Artillery Forces. So far we received: - 116/116 M1A1FEP - 117/250 M1A2SEPv3 - 180/296 K2GF + 0/64 K2PL - 15/111 Borsuk IFV (1014 Planned In Total) - 35/128 Rosomak ZSSW-30 IFV + 0/80 Rosomak-L ZSSW-30 - 58/212 AHS Krab - 212/218 AHS K9A1 - 174/290 Homar-K MLRS - 20/20 (506) M142 HIMARS Here is more or less accurate list - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_Polish_Land_Forces#

Nice graphic. Monday 15th December, next K2/K2PL license and sublicense agreement between Hyundai Rotem and Zakłady mechaniczne Bumar Łabędy will be signed.

The problem with drone lovers, is that they ignore the fact, that protection solutions against drones, also evolve. We have Active Protection Systems, like Trophy that already can defeat drones, from small FPV's to larger jet powered ones. And then there are non kinetic energetic systems, like Leonidas, Epirus is right now working on miniaturizing Leonidas so it can be mounted as APS on tanks and other vehicles. Even in Poland we work on system similar to Leonidas. Also recently it seems, in Ukraine, they started to experiment with bliding drone cameras, now it's only temporary but enough for drone operator to not hit a target or abbort attack, while I believe we will return to lasers to permamently blind drones. It happens already with systems like BAE Terra Raven. In Poland we also make a lot of analysis of Ukraine war, more and more people start to get the impression, that Ukraine overinvested in drones, and this is why they are loosing the war, because there is not enough infantry, not enough heavy vehicles like tanks, and Ukraine in general made many, many fatal mistakes. While Russians excell in static attrition warfare. IMHO It is a grave mistake, within NATO, that so much emphasis is put by many on drones, only because it is fashionable these days. Another problem is, that many politicians and decision makers in the west especially, have a fetish to do everything cheap. War is not cheap in itself, and half baked cheap solutions also do not work as advertized.

In Poland among various analitical circles, we are far more disillusioned thant west, and we much more quickly become far more aware that something wrong is going on, including Ukrainian propaganda. Oh I will put it that very harshly which might be surprising for many in the west. Ukraine worked very hard, to turn Poland and Poles from allies to... extremely sceptical neighbores. Also their propagandists, both from Ukraine and abroad (including ones being Polish citizens) are working hard, to make general population even more sceptical. But make no mistake, majority in Poland understands, it is in our strategic interest, to keep Ukraine afloat... but without any warm feelings, this is just our interest, nothing more, nothing less, and Russia is considered as a threat. This is why, more and more people, agree that we need to become, Israel of Europe... sort of. EOT.

They should never start counteroffensive in the first place. War with Russia is a long marathon, not a sprint, Zelensky never understood that, if he ever understood anything. I am Polish, I don't care what other people believe in.