'American Troops and Tanks Are Headed to Poland' PM
"A Colorado-based U.S. Army armored brigade has deployed to Poland to deter Russian aggression. It's part of a new rotational plan designed to keep U.S. Army ground forces in the area indefinitely. The deployment and others like it are meant as a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose 2014 annexation of the Crimea and intimidation of Scandinavian and Baltic countries has prompted local politicians to ask NATO for a show of force.
Equipped with the latest Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, the brigade has traveled all the way from Fort Carson, Colorado, to western Poland, where it will remain for much of 2017 conducting training and drills with Polish Army troops.
The 3,500-man Third Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, will spend the better part of a year in Poland, training with local army troops and providing a deterrent against Russia. Known as the Iron Brigade, the 3-4 ABCT shipped 2,800 pieces of heavy equipment to Europe."
"The unit is equipped with 87 of the most recent upgrade of the iconic M1 Abrams main battle tank, the M1A2SEPV2."
"The brigade is also equipped with 140 M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, a similarly upgraded version of the original M2 Bradley. The Bradley is armed with a 30-millimeter Bushmaster cannon, two TOW anti-tank missiles in the ready position, and can carry up to seven infantrymen."
"The third major weapons system deployed by the brigade is its 18 M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzers. Designed to support the tank and mechanized infantry forces with indirect fire, the Paladin is also an upgrade, this time of the older M109 tracked howitzer. The Paladin incorporates new armor to protect the crew and an inertial navigation system that allows the crew to travel to a new firing location and be ready to fire within 30 seconds, much less than older howitzers."
http://www.popularmechanics.com/mili...oys-to-poland/
Loaded for bear.
