A M88A2 Hercules Heavy Recovery vehicle lifting an AGT1500 turbine engine back into a M1A1 Abrams Tank at the range in Puckapunyal back in 2006. This was the first time a pack change had been conducted with the assistance of the General Dynamics Team. Credit: Defence.

TAE improves Abrams turbine repair turnaround

19 September 2016

Queensland aircraft and tank engine maintainers TAE have secured a contract to service the Army's M1A1 Abrams MBT turbines in Australia, vastly improving the engine's repair turnaround times.

Previously the AGT1500 trubines would be sent to the US for repair, with turnaround sometimes up to nine months and a cost on average of $500,000 per engine.

The company plans to perform 17 rebuilds a year and TAE CEO Andrew Sanderson told the ABC the new arrangement would allow a fully refurbished engine to be returned to service every three weeks.

Engine OEM Honeywell sent a team to train TAE staff to conduct the the work.