Defence Online

Honeywell and Polish Defence Group to Establish Europe’s Only Abrams Tank Engine Service Centre

Land May 21, 2026

Honeywell and Polish state defence company Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 1 (WZL-1) have signed an agreement to establish an authorised maintenance, repair and overhaul centre for the AGT 1500 gas turbine engine that powers the M1 Abrams tank, creating what will be the only facility of its kind in Europe.

The service centre, to be located in Dęblin and expected to open in 2028, is a direct response to Poland’s growing Abrams fleet following a recent order for 366 tanks. It will bring engine sustainment capability in-country, reducing maintenance turnaround times and strengthening the long-term combat readiness of Poland’s armoured forces.

Why This Matters Beyond Poland

The strategic significance of the Dęblin facility extends well beyond Poland’s own fleet. Adam Leszkiewicz, CEO of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, was explicit about the broader opportunity: as the only authorised AGT 1500 service centre in Europe, the facility is positioned to support Abrams operators across the continent, including other European nations operating the platform and US Army tanks stationed at bases across Europe, including in Poland itself.

Poland is now the largest operator of Abrams tanks in the region, and as other NATO allies consider or progress their own Abrams acquisitions, the Dęblin centre could become a central node in European Abrams sustainment infrastructure. That regional hub potential gives the facility a strategic value that far exceeds its initial scope.

Building Sovereign Capability

The agreement reflects a broader trend across European defence: the push to bring maintenance, repair and overhaul capability in-country rather than depending on distant facilities or the original equipment manufacturer for routine sustainment. Locating AGT 1500 expertise in Poland means shorter logistics chains, faster turnaround times and the development of a skilled domestic workforce with deep knowledge of a critical platform system.

Honeywell, as the original equipment manufacturer of the AGT 1500, will provide technical support and training to WZL-1 personnel, transferring knowledge that builds genuine sovereign capability rather than creating a dependency on continued external support.

Dave Marinick, President and CEO of Engines and Power Systems at Honeywell Aerospace, said: “The development of AGT 1500 sustainment capabilities in Poland will strengthen local skills, service capacity and the wider Polish security ecosystem.”

Room to Grow

The scope of the Dęblin depot is explicitly designed to expand. The parties have flagged the potential to add spare parts manufacturing or repair capability in Poland as part of a broader industrial strategy focused on transatlantic cooperation and supply chain resilience. That pathway from service centre to manufacturing capability is significant, representing a potential deepening of Poland’s role in the Abrams industrial base over time.

Relevance for UK Industry

While the immediate procurement activity is centred on Poland, the establishment of a European Abrams sustainment hub carries implications for the wider NATO defence industrial ecosystem, including UK suppliers. As European nations accelerate armoured vehicle investment in response to the threat environment, the demand for engine sustainment, diagnostics, spare parts and associated support services across multiple platforms is growing rapidly.

The Dęblin model, bringing OEM-backed in-country sustainment capability to a major operator, is one that UK programme managers and industry partners working on British Army vehicle programmes, including the ongoing land systems modernisation agenda, will be watching with interest.

Post written by: Vicky Maggiani

Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.