Thousands of miles from the front lines, a sprawling manufacturing plant in the small Midwestern city of Lima, Ohio, is playing a critical role in Ukraine’s arms efforts as the country fends off a Russian invasion.

It is owned by the US military and operated by General Dynamics. The plant is expected to upgrade Abrams tanks for the US shipment to Ukraine, and is already preparing to build an upgraded version of the vehicle for Poland, the US military said Thursday during a plant visit.

Defense Secretary Kristin Wormuth, who visited the plant along with several other military and senior officers, said it was highly likely that the plant would supply tanks to Ukraine.

“We are still considering options for which version of the tank will be handed over to the Ukrainians. I think we still have some work to do, but certainly the tanks that are being produced here in Lima are crucial,” he said.

An Associated Press reporter was allowed to accompany Warmouth on the trip, the first reporter to walk the production lines since the US handed over Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

US officials declined to give details on which Abrams will eventually go to Ukraine, saying they must decide whether to send refurbished old Army tanks, Marine tanks or some other version. But in most cases, before being sent to the Ukrainian front, the tanks will need to be upgraded at a factory in Lima.

“Part of that is to figure out – among the various options – which one is the best one that can allow us to move Ukrainian tanks as early as possible,” Warmuth said, without disrupting arms sales abroad.

Officials said Thursday that total production at the plant, officially called the Lima Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, varies depending on contract requirements. And although the plant currently produces 15-20 armored vehicles per month, including tanks, it can easily increase this number to 33 per month by adding another shift of workers to build more if necessary.

Warmouth said the timing of the Abrams deployment in Ukraine depends on whether the US gets the tanks from existing US military training stocks or from army units, which would be less desirable as it could affect their readiness. And tank development for Ukraine also needs to be squeezed in between current overseas sales contracts, which include the latest 250 builds for Poland and about 75 for Australia.

In January, the Biden administration turned the tide by announcing that it would send 31 M1A2 Abrams tanks to Ukraine after insisting for months that the mighty 70-ton tank was too complex and too difficult to maintain and repair. The decision was part of a wider political maneuver that gave Germany the opportunity to announce that it would send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow Poland and other allies to do the same.

Ukrainian leaders are pushing for the Abrams, which first saw action in the war in 1991 and features improved armor, a 120mm cannon, armor-piercing capabilities and advanced targeting systems. It runs on thick wheels and has a 1,500 horsepower turbine engine with a top speed of around 68 kilometers per hour.

While touring the production lines in the 25-acre building, Warmouth watched the newest version of the Abrams go from an empty steel hull to a shiny, freshly painted tank, a process that takes 18 to 24 months. The US does not build new tanks from scratch. They have a fleet of about 2,500 Abrams, and they take old tanks, strip them down, and use the empty hull as a starting point to build a new one. Some buildings have been repaired several times.

About 800 people work at the plant, which occupies 369 acres in northwest Ohio. This is the only place where M1A2 Abrams are manufactured. About 45 percent of the workforce is concentrated in tanks, but the plant also has Stryker armored vehicles, tank support vehicles and other equipment.

When Warmouth concluded her visit by inspecting the finished tanks in another building, a long line of new Abrams lined up near the railroad tracks. And as he was about to leave, the train cars moved off, carrying the tanks to Fort Hood, Texas, where they would collect radios and other equipment before an army unit escorted them to their final destination.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the US Secretary of War said the military would invest about $558 million in plant improvements over the next 15 years. Some of these include the widespread use of robotics.

“I think, as the war in Ukraine has shown to everyone here, there is a real need to upgrade our military-industrial base,” he said. “The plant here in Lima is part of that plan.”

Source: Associated Press.