The U.S. State Department will soon sign-off a US$2 billion arms deal to the Australian government for 160 new Abrams tanks and four Chinook helicopters. The sale comes amid Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s pledge last year to increase defence spending in response to rising geopolitical tension in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia will purchase 160 M1A1 tank hulls and convert them into different vehicles, including 75 M1A2 Main Battle Tank; 29 M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles; 18 M1074 Joint Assault Bridges; and 6 M88A2 Hercules Combat Recovery Vehicles. The cost of the tanks will be US$1.685 billion. The Australian Army currently fields 59 Abrams Main Battle Tanks but have not deployed them since their original purchase in 2007. Four CH-47F Chinook helicopters will also bolster the existing fleet of ten at the cost of $259 million. The U.S. State Dept said the proposed sale would support the foreign policy and the national …