U.S. Army increasing its presence across the European theater to contribute to and strengthen the alliance’s deterrence and defense.

Soldiers and tanks presence enhance the deterrence capabilities available to the U.S. Army Europe and U.S. European Command commanders to respond to potential crises and assist in the defense of allies and partners in the European community.

Currently, the U.S. Army faces capability gaps against new and boosted anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, or A2/AD, technologies.

“If you take a look at Eastern Europe, Russians do not want a face-to-face fight with an M1 [Abrams] tank,” said Bruce Jette, the secretary of the Army for Acquisition. “Therefore, they put a large amount of rockets, artillery, mortars and air defenses in place to try and protect those assets.”

Long-Range Precision Fires has become the Army’s top modernization priority to take out those protective measures, he added during discussion with lawmakers on Wednesday.

As previously reported, the Pentagon is requesting $2.2 billion for 165 the M1 Abrams tank modifications in its fiscal 2020 budget.

The U.S. Army plans to invest a totally $6 billion in the “legendary M1 Abrams tank family.

“Over the next three years, we’re investing more than $6 billion in upgrades and modifications to these tanks,” President Trump said during the March 20 visit to the Lima, Ohio-based Joint Systems Manufacturing Center. “With the help of everyone in this room, we are giving our warriors the most effective, reliable and lethal battle tank in the history of war.”