T(h)anks, Nick.
To clarify, TUSK is the overall Tank Urban Survivability Kit, of which Abrams Reactive Armor Tiles (ARAT), & ARAT 2 ERA are a part.
The upper mounts are also for Trophy Active Protection System.
(SEP v2 illustrated)
Regarding the lower four mounts under the turret stowage bins, the Australian SEP v3 have additional reinforcement around them.
Do the Austrailian’s plan to put a fridge in the bustle rack like on thier M1A1 SA ?
Short answer - Yes. The cooler on the back is as essential as a water heater for a Challenger 2. Can’t have a proper cuppa without it. 
Yep, the fridge is going in. I have my doubts that it’ll clear the armoured patch panel that’s at the back of the turret, though.
Social media isn’t always accurate, though.
Given Army’s current doctrine regarding heat management & mitigation, I would expect so
Anyone give an indication what the registration Nos are going to look like on the tanks?
Only that they’re likely to be the normal six digits, with the last three ranging from xxx001 through xxx075. Pretty strong speculation that the public debut of the new tanks will occur “imminently”, so not long until answers.
More pics if you can thanks 
Oh you tease😂
No sign of the fridge on ARN 277002.
Well I’m sure after a trip to the unit workshop and a few beers changing hands that omission will soon be rectified😂
It’s amazing what you could get done with a yellow handbag of herforders in Germany👍
Or a carton of tax free Marlboros.
The bracket & fridge is part of the basic configuration on the A1s. When they rolled off the ship back in 2005/6, the bracket in the bustle rack was already bolted in.
I still suspect that the patch panel on the back/roof of the turret near the wind sensor interferes with the fridge installation.
when i get around to mine i want the serial number on mine from a combat coded unit not the school house
Which will limit your choices a little, as we won’t have as many Units fielding the A2 like we had with the A1.
how is that possible when yiu are getting 75 A2 ?
I’ll give a more complete answer.
There’s been some changes to Army’s organisation between when the tanks were ordered & now that deliveries have been started. There’s some good public domain information here: https://www.army.gov.au/our-work/strategy/australian-army-contribution-national-defence-strategy-2024
The biggest change was the change of government & the Defence Strategic Review that followed. Following from that was the recasting of the Integrated Investment Program (what the government is buying & when), & the National Defence Strategy.
In summary - all of this is public, btw - instead of being spread across three brigades & the schools (armour & EME), the SEP v3s will go to a single regiment within a single brigade & the two relevant schools. Like all things in life, things can change, so no absolutes.
Pretty dry stuff, but none of this is secret, protected or anything, though some like to pretend it is.
Thanks for reading - here’s a tank pic:
If it’s public domain info Greg, then brilliant. As far as I’m concerned, that level & amount of info goes some way towards disclosure of Army’s ORBAT, for which I haven’t been given any clearance, formal or informal, to discuss in a public forum.
Should Army choose to disclose that info, that’s their call & therefore it’s been approved by the ‘Ivory Tower’ in Canberra. I’m quite protective of what Defence & Army info I come across & won’t apologise for being protective. I’ve been stung before for disclosing info I believed to be out in the public domain, which I subsequently found out not to be the case, so I’m careful now.
Anyhow…back to the model bench
